Mysterious Distance
by Vicky Ocean
Summary: Samantha Carter isn't as perfect and together as she wants everyone to believe. So the men in her life have to help her hold it together. Epilogue added. Now complete.
1. Part 1

All standard disclaimers apply. Just for kicks, pallies.

Post-Affinity and will end up AU.

Author's Note: The title comes from a lyric from the U2 song 'A Man and A Woman' : _I could never take a chance , Of losing love to find romance, In the mysterious distance, Between a man and a woman. _Another inspiring lyric : _When the soul wants… the soul waits… _This whole song just reminded me of Jack and Sam when I heard it and fitted in nicely with this fic, but I wouldn't call it a song-fic. It was already in progress when I heard the song. Anyway, I thought I'd shared what inspired the title. And if you haven't picked up their new album _How to Dismantle and Atomic Bomb_, you should it's wonderful. I'll quit rambling now.

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 1**

"For cryin' out loud, Daniel, what do I always tell you about touching crap?"

"Arg." Daniel groaned not wanting to open his eyes.

"And here you are in the infirmary AGAIN after nearly getting yourself electrocuted."

Daniel decided he might as well get Jack's relatively good natured ribbing out of the way or he'd keep him up all night. He opened his eyes and tried to focus on the blurry figure of Jack O'Neill. "May I have my glasses?"

Jack plucked them off the night stand and placed them in Daniel's hand. "Why don't you get that laser thing done?"

"Because I don't like the idea of someone pointing a burning laser in my eye."

"Point."

Daniel put his glasses on and looked around the infirmary suddenly realizing someone else was supposed to be here. "Where's Sam?"

"She didn't look so hot, so I sent her home and told her to get some rest."

"No. No. No." Daniel shook his head frantically. "Jack, you idiot. That's the worst thing you could have done."

"Excuse me?"

Daniel ignored him and threw the covers off of his bed. He was about to rip out his IV when Jack stopped him, pushing him back down on the bed, "Whoa there, Danny. Don't go playin' my games. You're stuck here until morning."

"You don't understand. She promised she'd be here."

"What're you afraid of the dark now?" Jack tucked the covers back around Daniel. "I'll get one of the pretty nurses to read you a bed time story. Okay?"

"Don't patronize me, Jack. You don't understand."

"So enlighten me."

"Pete broke up with Sam."

"Oh." Jack didn't know what to say to that or want to examine the little jolt of something he'd just felt and refused to name.

"She shouldn't be alone."

Something about that statement set Jack off. He didn't know why. Maybe it was that he didn't want to believe that Pete really meant enough for her to be upset. Or maybe it was the fact that Carter had told Daniel about the break up and not him. Or most likely all of the above. "Oh, come on, Daniel. Carter's a big girl. She saves the world every over week. She can handle some stupid little break up. She doesn't need you to hold her hand."

Daniel stared at Jack as if the was the stupidest being in the galaxy. Jack hated getting that look from him. "You really are completely and utterly oblivious, aren't you, Jack?" Daniel asked with more than a touch of anger.

"Apparently." Jack sighed heavily and his mind ran through the various possibilities until he stopped on the most un- Carter-like possibility he could think of. "Is Pete in danger?"

"No, but Sam might be."

"How?" Jack asked, not really sure he wanted to know.

"Jack, I know it's hard to believe but Sam doesn't always keep things together as well as you think."

Jack did not like the sound of that. In fact, it scared him to death. Carter keeping everything together and in order was the _one _thing he could always count on. "Okay. What do I need to do?"

"You need to get them to release me."

"I can't do that, Daniel. You know better than that."

"You'll have to go then."

"Where?"

"Kate Elder's."

"That dive. What the hell is Carter doing- Ah, drinking herself to oblivion." Jack knew a thing or two about that. He'd just never pegged Carter to be that type as well. He really must not know her and that saddened him indescribably.

"Yeah. It might not be that bad. I hope. Don't let her know you're there until it looks like something bad might be about to happen. It'll just make things worse."

"How do you define 'bad'?"

"Trying to drive drunk. Picking a fight with a biker twice her size or trying to go home with one."

"Shit." Jack rubbed his eyes hoping that this was all a stupid dream. This could not be _his _Carter they were talking about. "Carter does this often?"

"Just when something very bad happens."

"So, often, right?"

"Yeah."

"Why don't I know about this?"

"It's never effect her work. No need for you to know."

"No. I meant as her friend." Jack realized that might have been a stupid thing to say. Was he her friend any more or was he ever?

"She made me promise to never tell you. She doesn't want you to think she's weak. She didn't want you to think she wasn't perfect."

"Oh, God, Carter…"

"Go, Jack," Daniel told him. "Please keep her safe."

Jack went and was terrified of what he might find.

---

TBC


	2. Part 2

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 2**

Jack searched the crowded, smoke filled dive. He knew she was here. Her bike was parked outside. Unless, she had already left with someone. He really didn't want to consider that possibility. Then he spotted a familiar head of blonde hair. She was sitting at the end of the bar by the jukebox. Alone, thank God. Her helmet and black leather jacket were sitting on the unoccupied stool next to her. She was dressed in tight black leather pants and a tight black t-shirt that left her midriff bare. Yep, she certainly looked like she was looking for trouble. His first instinct was to rip her off that stool and drag her out of there to his truck to…take her home…to _her_ home…put her to bed…to sleep off the tequila she was throwing back. Right. That was his first instinct.

He decided to play this Daniel's way. He took a seat at the opposite end of the bar that provided him with a clear view of Carter but kept him cloaked in shadow. The bartender ambled up. "Guinness." Jack told him.

"Sorry. Don't have any."

_Philistines_, Jack thought, but said. "Budweiser, then."

The bartender ambled away. Jack studied Carter as she threw back another shot of tequila and then played with several warped pieces of lime on the bar. Jack started to relax a bit. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Just sit here, watch Carter drink, and when she got ready to leave, drive her home. That wouldn't be too hard. Right. He could do that.

"Catch your eye, did she?" Jack looked up as the bartender plunked down his beer. "I guess I should warn ya. She's got this geeky guy that always shows up, keeps her out of trouble. Used to be a little firecracker of a redhead that'd come too, but she stopped. Now it's just the guy with the glasses."

"She died."

"The redhead? No shit."

"Yeah." God, he wished Janet was still here. Janet would have never let the whole Pete thing go as far as it did.

"Damn. I'm sorry to hear that. I always liked her. Is that why Blondie's here tonight?"

"No. She died about a year ago."

"So I guess you know her, then, huh?"

"Yeah." Jack sighed. He _thought _he knew her.

"So what's her story, pal? She doesn't come in regular, but when she comes- Man, watch out. She's either looking for a fight or a fuck. And she's a hell of a fighter. I can only imagine her in bed."

"Yes and that's all you'd better do," Jack grated out. No one should think things about Carter like that. Except for maybe him. Sometimes.

The bartender laughed at that. "I'm guessin' you're her keeper tonight."

"Yeah."

"Good luck. It'll be a while yet before the fun starts." And with that the bartender moved on to another customer.

---

It had been two hours since Jack had sat down at the bar and Carter had refused the advances of several of the other patrons and thankfully they seemed to be content to leave her to drink alone. Carter had always been able to hold her liquor well. Something that had always made him proud. Now he'd lost count of how many shots he'd watched her drink and she was decidedly drunk.

There was another idiot trying to cozy up to Carter and disturbingly it looked like she was reciprocating. Jack didn't interrupt though. Not yet. Because, of course, he knows Carter will soon come to her senses and send the guy on his merry way. Anytime now.

Anytime.

But unfortunately she's way beyond drunk and he can't believe he's watching Carter make out with some stranger in a seedy bar. This just isn't right. And the bastard just stuck his hand up the font of her shirt and she didn't stop him. Time to end this.

Jack threw a couple of bills on the bar and hopped off his stool. Carter didn't even notice him standing beside her because she had a Neanderthal attached to her face. Jack took a deep breath. He knew this wasn't going to be pretty however it went down. He tapped the brute on the shoulder, "Excuse me. I think you should leave her alone."

The guy pulled away from her just long enough to grunt out, "Scram." And then he turned this attention back to Carter.

So the polite way was out. Jack absently noted that the bartender had stopped what he was doing and was leaning on the bar watching curiously to see how this would play out. Jack grabbed the Neanderthal by his thin little pony tail and physically pulled his head away from Carter. "I thought I told you to leave her alone." The man was so shocked he didn't move for a minute and Carter peeked around his hulking form to see Jack. Her eyes went wide in recognition, but she didn't seem embarrassed. "Get your stuff, Carter. Playtime is over."

Her suitor regained what little sense he had and demanded, "Who the fuck do you think you are? Her father?"

Jack shoved him away and his head bounced against the bar. That had been the wrong thing to say. Carter could tell the man was about to try to hit Jack who standing there with a cold smile. She knew that predatory look and put a restraining on the brute's arm. "I don't think you wanna do that."

"Why the hell not? He's picking the fight. It won't take a sec to show him his place."

"Cause he's Special Forces and could prob'ly kill you 50 dif'rent ways with his bare hands in under 30 seconds."

"Yeah, right."

Carter shrugged and looked at Jack and grinned. He realized she was going to enjoy seeing him taking this guy out. The idiot turned and before he could even think about laying a single blow on Jack, he was sprawled out on the floor. Carter hopped off her stool and kneeled down next to him still grinning. "Told ya." The gloating was lost on the Neanderthal because he was unconscious.

Jack grabbed Carter under her arm and jerked her to her feet. She flung her free arm around his neck and whispered in his ear, "I love it when you go all Alpha-male." And then to his astonishment, she bit his earlobe. He pushed her away from him. "Shut up, Carter!" He shoved her jacket and helmet in her arms and dragged her out of the bar.

Jack opened the passenger door of his truck. He took her jacket and helmet from her and tossed them in the back seat. She just stood there smiling at him strangely. He didn't want to contemplate what she had on her mind. All wanted to do was get her safely home and then go home and get drunk himself. He growled, "Get in the damn truck." And she did. Meekly. He didn't trust her for a second. He slammed the door shut and stalked around to the drivers side.

They drove in silence for a while. She was still smiling strangely at him and he figured that it was just her excessively drunk smile. He began to relax a little bit again. He thought the worst of the night was over. Until she broke the quiet, "Are you gonna fin'ly do it?"

"What?"

"Fuck me."

"Excuse me?" He asked turning to look at her. Luckily they were at a stop light or there might have been a wreck. He wondered if she'd planned that.

"Y'know. I've been waitin' a long time. I'm tired of waitin'." She unclipped her seat belt and slid across the bench seat to his side to reach between his legs.

"Carter, get your ass back over there! That's an order!"

She squeezed him and slid back to the other side. The light turned green and he drove away. Breaking the speed limit more than he normally would. At least he had a good excuse. He wondered what the cop would say to his excuse of, "Well, the woman I've been in love with for about seven or eight years is drunk off her ass and attempting to seduce me, but I'm not allowed to be seduced by her. So I'm trying to get her home and away from me as quickly as possible." He'd buy that. Right?

"You wanna know why Pete left me?"

"Probably not," he muttered keeping his eyes steadfastly on the road.

"I called him 'Jack' while he was screwin' me."

"That'd probably do it," he told her. He really didn't want to hear this. Not now. If she was sober it might be different. But now she could be lying for all he knew and just trying to tell him what she thought he wanted to hear.

"So we're gonna do it, right? You ran off my other lay. You have to take his place. It's the law or somethin'."

"Carter, I'm ordering you not to say another word," he growled between clenched teeth and sped up even more.

"I like you all authoritative and dominant. It's hot."

"Carter!"

"Well, it is."

After what seemed like an eternity he pulled up at her house. He quickly jumped out and opened her door. She jumped down and took a couple of steps and stumbled. He grasped her arm tightly holding her upright as he escorted her up her sidewalk and the steps to her front door. He didn't even bother to ask her for her keys. He just took out the spare that she'd given him when she first moved into this place. He held the door open for her, "Goodnight, Carter."

"No, you can't leave me like this. I need you." She tried to wrap her arms around him, but he was quicker. He grasped her arms pinning them to her sides and held her at arms length. "Stop it, Carter."

"Oh, c'mon. I've never fucked a general before and I've always wanted to fuck you. I'd be killin' to birds with one stone."

Jack couldn't help himself and shook her in a vain attempt shake some sense back into her tequila addled mind. "Get in that damn house and sleep this off."

She wasn't to be deterred. "I know you want me. C'mon, General. I want you. You want me. What's the big deal?"

"I do not take advantage of drunken women, Carter. Get inside before I have you brought up on changes for conduct unbecoming an officer."

---

TBC


	3. Part 3

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 3**

"I do not take advantage of drunken women, Carter. Get inside before I have you brought up on changes for conduct unbecoming an officer."

She just stood there. Drunk, lustful, and defiant.

Then the lust and defiance melted and she started to cry. And Jack had absolutely no idea of what to do with a crying and drunk Carter. Crying Carter just wasn't right. It _had _to be against the laws of nature. He'd only had to face her tears once and at the time he'd felt like crying himself. So he did the same thing he'd done that time. He opened his arms and said, "C'mere."

Sam dived into his arms. She buried her face into his flannel shirt and her arms slid around him under his jacket holding onto him desperately. She stood there crying into his arms for so long Jack's bad knee began to ache, so he walked her over to the couch. She settled onto his lap and proceeded to cry into his neck. Jack held onto her and rubbed his hands soothingly up and down her back.

Finally, Sam stops crying and Jack could only assume that she must be completely dehydrated by then. "Are you okay now?" he asks her quietly.

"No." she muttered and he felt her head shake against.

"You wanna tell me what's wrong?"

Another head shake. "No."

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Stay."

"Carter…" he began in warning.

"No. Just stay. Watch a movie with me or something. I don't wanna be alone."

"I can do that."

"Thank you."

She still continued to sit there in his lap with her face still hidden in his neck. "Why don't you go take a shower and put on your pajamas, get comfortable?" he suggested gently. "And I'll go pop some popcorn, okay?"

She nodded into his neck and then pushed herself to her feet.

---

When Sam came back into the living room, Jack had shed his jacket and shoes and was sitting on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table. Sam silently sat down next to him. Her hair was damp from her shower and she was wearing the flannel pajamas patterned with atomic symbols that Daniel had given her a last year for Christmas. She avoided looking at him and seemed a little embarrassed. He hoped she had sobered up some, but by the amount of tequila she had consumed he was sure she was still pretty drunk. He passed her a bowl of popcorn and was pleased to see her smile when she noticed that it was covered in melted butter. Just the way she liked it. "Thank you, sir," she said quietly.

"So what are we gonna watch?"

"Would you mind 'Singin' In The Rain'?" she asked a little shyly.

"No. Are you nuts? I _love_ musicals."

She giggled a little bit at that. "You do not."

"Sure I do. What's my favorite movie?"

" 'The Wizard of Oz'."

"See. Besides wasn't I the one that finagled four tickets for 'The Producers' and convinced Hammond that Teal'c needed to experience Broadway and the Big Apple?" Jack asked as he got up. He dug through her DVDs a minute until he found 'Singin' In The Rain' and popped it in.

"Yes, sir," Sam said as she grinned at the memory. That had been the last SG-1 'field trip', just before Pete, Janet's death, the defeat of Anubis, and the promotions. It made her sad to think those days were over. So much had changed in the last year.

"Hey," he said and she looked up at him standing before her. "No more tears. I won't have you bawlin' through such a damn good movie. I won't be able to sing along."

"Please don't, sir." Sam couldn't help but smile as she wiped the remaining tears away. "Or you will have me crying."

"Whatcha tryin' to say?"

"Nothin'," she said around a mouthful of popcorn.

"Thought not." Jack settled down beside her and pressed play.

---

Jack awoke shortly after dawn. For one blissful beautiful moment, Jack was truly and completely happy.

Then he remembered what he had done.

---

"JACK!"

At Daniel's bellow Jack came racing out of his office and nearly fell over Siler who was working on some equipment nearby.

"JACK!"

"What?! Daniel, what are you yellin' about?"

BAAMM!

"Jack, you sonavabitch!"

Jack landed with a sickly thud of his head on the floor.

"You goddamned selfish bastard!"

Before Jack even had a chance to fathom what was going on, Daniel was on him again.

"You promised you'd look after her! You fucking bastard!"

"Doctor Jackson! Let the General go!" Siler attempted to pull Daniel off of Jack. "Doctor Jackson!"

CLACK! CLACK! CLACK! CLACK!

"Daniel Jackson, release O'Neill!"

Daniel blinked and looked up to see that he was surrounded by SFs with guns drawn, Siler holding his wrench as if he was about to wack him with it, and Teal'c glowering down at him.

Daniel allowed himself to be pulled off of Jack and dragged away.

"Ah, crap…" Jack mumbled trying to sit up, but the room started to spin so he laid back down.

"General O'Neill, are you all right?"

"No. And to think I was the one to encourage Daniel to start working out. Somebody wanna tell me what the hell that was about?"

"Doctor Jackson attacked you, sir."

"I got that part, Siler."

"Daniel Jackson seemed most displeased with you, O'Neill."

"Ya think?" Jack rubbed his jaw where Daniel's initial punch had hit.

"General, you need to come down to the infirmary," Dr. Brightman appeared at his side from nowhere.

"No. I need to talk to Daniel."

"General…"

Jack ignored the doctor and held out a hand to Teal'c. "C'mon, help me up. Let's go talk to Daniel."

---

TBC


	4. Part 4

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 4**

Teal'c was standing in the hallway preventing in eavesdroppers from hearing the conversation in the holding cell. Jack had in his pocket a handy-dandy little device Thor had gifted him with that scrambled recording devices. Jack didn't really want this conversation on official record. The speculation would be bad enough about the fight as it was.

"What the hell was that about?" Jack demanded. Daniel just stared at him, sitting in his chair with his arms across his chest and his eyebrows doing that little incredulous raised thing. Okay. That was a stupid question. Jack had a real good idea why Daniel felt the need to beat the crap out of him. The same thing he'd been beating himself up about all morning. "Okay. I know what this is about. The question is then: why are you so worked up about it?"

"Why am I so worked up about it?" Daniel asked very slowly enunciating each word carefully. "Well, let's see. I just found one of my best friends lying naked on her bathroom floor, hungover and crying her eyes out because one of my other best friends can't keep his dick in pants and then leaves her alone like some two bit whore when he's done. That's what I'm so worked up about."

Jack ground his teeth as he tried to hold back his outrage. "It wasn't like that, Daniel."

"Tell me how it was then, Jack. Tell me you didn't take advantage of a drunk woman, a woman under your command, a woman who's your friend, a woman you're supposed to be in love with. Tell me!"

"I didn't mean to." Jack said and as soon as it was out of his mouth he knew how ridiculous it sounded.

"You didn't mean to? Were you drunk too?"

"No."

"Under alien influence?"

"No."

"Then how can you soberly accidentally fuck someone?"

"Shut up, Daniel and let me talk. It wasn't like that."

"Fine. Talk."

Jack scrubbed a hand through his hair and took a moment to gather his thoughts before relating his story. "After I got her home, she didn't want to be by herself. So I stayed and watched 'Singin' in the Rain' with her. She fell asleep leaning against me. I picked her up and carried her to bed. I was gonna leave after tucking her in but I couldn't resist just kissing her on the forehead. That was all I was gonna do. Honest. But she woke up and kissed me and one thing led to another. I just kinda forgot about her being pretty drunk. I was weak I'll admit it. And I didn't want to leave her this morning, but SG 5 and 13 were coming in this morning. I had to be here."

Daniel studied him. He knew that Jack was telling the truth and the man was in pain at the thought of having hurt Sam. "So what now, Jack? You've finally broken the regs after however many years of doing the so-called 'honorable thing'?"

"For the moment, it's status quo, but hopefully soon that will change."

"It's always tomorrow isn't it, Jack?" he asked in exasperation. "What about today? Sam needs you today. Here," Daniel withdrew an envelope from his pocket and threw it on the table in front of Jack. "That's a ticket for a plane that to San Diego leaving in three hours. Sam rented a beach house there. She was supposed to spend her down time with Pete and her brother's family, but she's there by herself now. She said she need to get away to think. You need to think too. You need to be with her now."

"You know I can't leave right now. The Joint Chiefs are coming in the morning."

"Tomorrow doesn't always come, Jack. Trust me."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"I don't know if you do sometimes, Jack. You could have had her all these years. No one had to know. No one has to know if you get together now."

"Someone always finds out, Daniel."

"It's possible. I know."

"How do you know?"

Daniel took a deep breath. He didn't want to tell Jack what he was about to, but he needed to. He need to make him see it was possible. "Jack, Sam and I have been sleeping together, off and on, since you did that undercover sting five years ago. No one has ever found out."

Jack stared at his best friend in disbelief and saw the truth in his eyes. He reacted the only way he possibly could. He socked the archeologist solidly in the jaw, hard enough to knock him out of his chair. "Explain."

"It's not what you think, Jack," he told the man towering over him. "I would never try to take her from you. I couldn't if I wanted to. She loves you."

"Explain," Jack repeated glowering down at the man still sprawled on the floor.

"When you went undercover you said and did things that hurt us both badly. I had just lost Sha're and Sam was pining for you. She was still hurting from that Laira thing too. Anyway, we were both lonely and hurt and it just kinda happened. It wasn't about the sex. It was just about needing to be with someone when things got to be too much. To know you're not alone. It was about comfort. I knew I could never replace you in her heart and she knew she could never replace Sha're in mine. I'm sorry, Jack. Don't hold this against Sam. I just wanted you to know that you can still be together without anyone knowing."

"Daniel, sex is easy to hide, it's all the stuff that really means something that isn't. I don't want to sneak around with Carter. I want it all." Jack right the overturned chair and sat down heavily in it, his head in his hands.

"So you won't go to San Diego?" Daniel asked quietly.

"I can't now, Daniel. This base doesn't run itself. I can't leave this week. Carter will understand."

"Yes, she will and that's the sad part." Daniel stood up and looked down at his friend in obvious pain. Pain that he'd caused. "Jack, I won't say I regret anything with Sam, I don't. We both needed it, but we never meant to hurt you."

"Get out of here, Daniel," Jack told him unable to look at him.

"Jack…"

"Go. Please."

"I'm sorry for earlier."

"Yeah. Whatever."

Daniel left Jack sitting by himself. Jack couldn't remember feeling this utterly alone and betrayed since… He didn't know if he'd ever felt like this before.

---

TBC

---

What do you think? Is this becoming to Soap-operatic? More angst is definitely ahead.


	5. Part 5

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 5**

_Author's Note: Sorry about the time between updates. Last weekend I decided on a rather impromptu and grueling road trip after which I need several days of recovery. Further updates should be made in a more timely manner (unless, of course, I get the itch to get the hell out of Dodge again)._

Sam had woken up late that morning. She hadn't expected Jack to there when she awoke. She knew he had to be back at base early. SG 5 and 13 were due back. Smiling, she buried her face in the pillows. She could still smell him there. Then she felt something strange poking her cheek and she opened her eyes to see a pale blue origami swan made from the note paper she kept on her nightstand.

She grinned as she remembered for Jack's birthday several years ago when she and Daniel had bought him a book on origami. They had gotten sick him handling the items in their labs, sometimes 'accidentally' breaking them and sometimes carrying them off 'accidentally' in his pockets. So they decided to get him something that would keep his hands busy when he visited them and they made sure that a stack of origami paper was always handy. Before long Cheyenne Mountain was covered in various and sundry paper animals and flowers. General Hammond had forced Jack to curb his paper folding after the General had found in his 'In' box a family of paper turtles that made up a report on P4X-026.

Sam plucked the swan off the pillow and sat up. For a few blissful beautiful moments, she was truly and completely happy.

And then she remembered what she had done as a wave of nausea hit her and she rushed to the bathroom.

When Daniel had found her she was laying on the cold tile of her floor still carefully holding the little blue swan and crying her eyes out, hating herself for being weak and letting Jack see her like that.

Now she was lying on the beach trying to read the latest astrophysics journal. She had hoped that immersing herself in logic and science would clear her head. And it did, enough to make her realize that she had probably ruined her friendship with the General and whatever chance they ever had together. Not to mention losing his respect . He must surely hate her for being so weak and needy and just plain slutty. She knew he had to be disappointed in her and that hurts more than anything.

"Hey, Sam."

"I came here to be alone," she told the man blocking her sun. She pretended to be engrossed in her journal.

"I know," Daniel sat down beside her on the blanket. "I'm just here to work on my tan. You can ignore me if you want."

Sam snorted, "Daniel, you don't tan any better then I do."

"My burn, then."

Sam shook her head and gave up on her attempt at reading. She looked over at him for the first time to see a dark bruise staining his jaw. "What happened to you?"

Daniel winced slightly as he rubbed the area without thinking, "Oh, this is nothing. You should see Jack."

"Oh, God, Daniel, please tell me you didn't pick a fight with the General."

"Not really 'pick'- no." Daniel smiled a little sheepishly. "I kinda jumped him and he let me beat the crap out of him until Teal'c and Siler intervened."

"What?" she asked aghast. "Did Siler wack you with his wrench?"

"No, I told Jack about us. About how when we get too lonely we…"

"Oh." she whispered and closed her eyes willing the screwed up world she lived in to go away.

"Yeah. He wasn't pleased."

"I can tell by the bruise." She sighed. She knew that whatever she had or would ever have with the General was completely gone because of Daniels little revelation. "Why did you tell him?"

"He just got me so angry and frustrated…"

"He's good at that."

"I was trying to get him to see that he could be with you."

"Didn't work, did it?"

"No. I tried to get him to come out here but he wouldn't."

"He couldn't. The Joint Chiefs are due in tomorrow." Then she added bitterly. "No reason he should anyway."

"He has every reason to be here instead of me."

"Not anymore, Daniel. I've ruined everything. I never wanted him to see me like that. You shouldn't have sent him to look after me," she accused, but he failed to look remorseful.

"I was worried about you, Sam."

"I know, Daniel. Just promise me you won't meddle any more. Whatever we ever had is gone. I'm not the woman he thought he cared about. He cared about 'Colonel Carter', not the sick mess that's 'Sam'."

"You think Jack doesn't have his bad side? He's got more demons than we'll ever know about. He understands, Sam."

"If you say so," she told him but she didn't believe it. The General might understand it coming from other people, but not her. She was supposed to be his rock, but even rocks eventually break down and she had. She had let him down. That hurt more than anything. It made her want to cry even more. "Daniel, I'm just so tired of waiting and being alone. I was never like this before. He's ruined me. I don't know what to do. I just don't want to be alone any more."

Daniel pulled her into a hug and she buried her face in his neck. "You don't have to be alone, Sam. I know it's not the same, but you've always got me."

---

Jack made his way down to Teal'c quarters. He really wanted to go home, but he knew if he did that he would succumb to the temptation of his liquor cabinet. It really wouldn't due to meet with the Joint Chiefs of Staff hung-over or possibly still drunk. He knocked to Teal'c's door hoping the Jaffa had some words of wisdom to impart.

"Enter."

Jack did and looked at Teal'c sitting on the floor surrounded by candles. "I'm not interrupting any 'Reeming, am I?"

"You are not. As you well know, O'Neill, I no longer require it, but it helps to sort out my mind."

Jack slumped down into a chair but didn't say anything.

"You feel betrayed, O'Neill."

Jack sighed. Teal'c certainly got to the point. He shouldn't have expected anything less. "Yeah, I guess I do. Did you know about…that?" He couldn't even bring himself to form the thought much less speak it.

"I did not. It was most unexpected."

"I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I can't help it. Pete was bad enough, but Daniel…for five years."

"I do not believe you are wrong in feeling betrayed. I would also feel betrayed. If we were on Chulak you would be well within your rights to kill both Daniel Jackson and Colonel Carter. But I also do not believe they meant to betray you. It is very difficult not to be with the one you love."

"I know that, Teal'c, believe me I know that. And I know I have no right to tell her who she can and can't sleep with. She doesn't owe me anything."

"She owes you her love."

"It's not like I haven't had a few…indiscretions. There was Laira and, as much as I hate to admit it, a good many one night stands. I shouldn't expect her not to…whatever."

"A man has needs, O'Neill, but you did not do such things with her closest friend."

"So does a woman and I can't fault her for wanting a normal life, whatever the hell that is, with Pete, but fucking Daniel…I don't know how I'm gonna face them. Especially Carter. I ought to be court marshaled."

"Do not hate yourself, O'Neill."

"I practically raped her," he whispered. He couldn't help but hate himself for that.

"You would never do such a thing."

"Well, I did," he laughed bitterly. "She was hammered and I fucked her. What do you call that?"

"Did she not make advances?"

"Well, yeah, but I should have been stronger than that. It was wrong."

"Colonel Carter is most determined when there is something she seeks to achieve. Her tenacity would extend through her inebriation. You could not have been strong enough, O'Neill."

Jack had to fight back a twisted smile. It was true. He could never refuse her anything much less _that. "_So what now?"

"Only you can answer that, O'Neill."

"I want her, Teal'c. I every way possible. I always have."

"Great gains cannot be made without great sacrifices. You and Colonel Carter have sacrificed much in the fight against the Goa'uld, but even the greatest warriors must eventually lay down their arms. But 'when' is for you to decide, O'Neill."

"You're right. Thanks, T," Jack got to his feet. "Looks like I've got some thinking to do before she gets back."

---

TBC


	6. Part 6

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 6**

Jack was waiting. He hated waiting. He'd left orders for Carter to report to him immediately upon arriving. He tried to work, but he couldn't. He was too nervous. He hated being nervous even more than waiting. So he stared at his desk before him and hoped it looked like he was reading.

After an eternity there was a knock on his door. "Enter," he called out as casually as he could. Carter walked in followed closely by Daniel.

She smiled nervously at him, "Good morning, sir."

He smiled slightly in return, "Morning." He glanced at Daniel who seemed as nervous as Carter, "Can you give Carter and I a few minutes, Daniel?"

"Actually, Jack…um… Sam and I have some news for you." He stared down at his feet and his hands were stuffed securely in his pockets. That wasn't a good sign. Daniel never had a problem facing off to Jack. Case in point: jumping him and telling him off last week.

"Bad news?" Jack queried keeping his face neutral. Carter wouldn't meet his eyes either. She seemed fascinated by the pictures on the far wall.

"No!" Daniel responded quickly. "Good news."

"Okay. Let me have it then," Jack told him, but later in retrospect he would think he could have chosen his words more carefully.

Daniel finally made eye contact and 'let him have it,' "Sam and I got married." He pulled his left hand out of his pocket held it up for confirmation. And there it was: a plain gold band glittering on his finger.

"Congradulations," he responded automatically. He was _really_ glad that some strange reflexive part of his brain took over and immediately set about repressing his feelings. Otherwise he might burst out sobbing or laughing hysterically. Neither response was really fitting for a US Air Force General.

Carter pulled her gaze from the pictures and looked at him sharply. Strangely, she hadn't anticipated his stoic response. He held her gaze and asked in a teasing tone that he was extremely proud of, "Does this mean I have to call you 'Jackson' from now on?"

"No, sir. I'm not changing my name."

"Good. There's a lot of paperwork involved in name changes," He leaned back in his chair and studied their perplexed expressions. He was really happy that he was shocking them by not completely breaking down as the seemed to expect, not to mention being completely amazed at his ability to think and speak rationally. "You know what this means, don't you, kids?"

Daniel eyed him warily, "What does it mean, Jack?"

"SG-1 can't remain the same."

"Oh." Daniel paused considering. He hadn't thought of that. "Well, why not? We're not breaking in any regulations. And we have been 'involved' before with out it affecting our working relationship."

"What does Teal'c say about this?"

"We haven't told him yet.," Carter answered evidentially getting over her dumb struck confusion. "You were the first to know, sir."

"Well, discuss it with him and if he agrees, I'll consider it."

"Thank you, sir." She gave him a small grateful smile.

"I guess you haven't told Cassie yet either?"

"No, sir."

"Why don't you two come over the house tonight for dinner? Cassie's home this weekend. You can tell her then."

"Thank you, sir. That's very nice of you."

"We're going to have to have some kind of shindig too."

"That's not really necessary, Jack." Daniel sighed. They really hadn't want to make a big deal about their impromptu marriage. Rumors would abound enough as it was.

"Sure it is. We must have cake."

"That'd be great, sir," She gave him a bigger smile. She was pleased that he didn't seem to be taking it as badly as they assumed he would. She guessed that that illustrated the fact that when dealing with Jack O'Neill you never knew what to expect.

"That settles it then. Congradulations again. I hope you'll be very happy." Jack smiled at them but Daniel thought he could detect the barest trace of bitterness in his voice. "Send in Walter on your way out." With that they knew they had been dismissed and left as quickly as possible still slightly afraid he might still explode.

Jack had just enough time to breathe out a heavy sigh before Walter stepped quickly into his office, "You wanted to see me, sir."

"Yeah, you've got a wedding reception to plan. Carter and Daniel have gotten married."

Walter started laughing, "With all do respect, that's a really stupid joke, sir. Even for you."

"It's no joke, Walter."

His assistant stood gaping at him for a moment. "Shit. This is going to throw the betting pool into an uproar, sir."

"No doubt," Jack replied calmly, still very proud of the fact that he wasn't visibly freaking out. He _really_ liked this failsafe his brain had.

"Sir-" Walter began but he was cut off by the red phone ringing. "Excuse me, sir," he said leaving the general to his call.

Jack picked up the receiver and answered. "O'Neill."

"Jack, would you care to tell me why I'm holding your letter of resignation?" George Hammond bellowed into his ear.

"Oh, that. Would you mind shredding that for me? It was a mistake."

"A mistake? Jack, you want to tell me what the hell is going on in that mountain."

"Actually we're getting ready for a party. We've just had a bit of surprising news. Turns out Carter and Daniel have gotten married while they were on leave."

"Are you serious!"

"Couldn't be more, George."

"Shit. This is going to throw the betting pool in an uproar."

"That's what Walter said."

There was a pause on the line and Jack heard Hammond's sigh. "Jack, I'm sorry."

"What for?" Even if he had automatically numbed himself, it didn't mean he wanted to discuss his 'feelings'.

"Jack…"

"Say, George, you should come out for the reception. I'll let you know when it is."

"Jack…"

"Hey, let me ask your opinion on something. This Daniel/Carter thing has apparently been going on for about five years. Off and on. Teal'c and I never knew it was going on. Anyway they want to keep SG-1 the same and if Teal'c doesn't see a problem, I'm inclined to let them stay as is. What do you think?"

There was another pause as Hammond considered his answer. "Well, it's really your call, Jack. Perhaps you should give them a probationary period and some light missions to see how they adjust to their new circumstances."

"That's what I was thinking. Thanks. Don't forget to shred that letter, will ya?"

-

Author's Note: I know this has been short and a long time coming, but it's just so damn hard to write Sam/Daniel stuff. I'm afraid this chapter isn't very good and kind of glossed over. Updates will be quicker(and better) on the Sam/Jack moments. Thanks for all the lovely reviews as well. This fic has been tougher to write than Intergalactic Event. Thanks for your patience and kind words.


	7. Part 7

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 7**

Jack O'Neill was drunk. It didn't feel as good and numbing as he had hoped.

It had been two weeks since Daniel and Carter had nervously come into his office to report the news of their marriage and this had been the first night he allowed himself to get drunk.

He knew everyone had expected him to turn up hung over the day after the announcement or possibly not to turn up at all. Walter had thoughtfully prepared an extra strong batch of coffee that morning, but Jack hadn't needed it. The night before he had dinner with Cassie, the Doctors Jackson, and Teal'c. Cassie had been shocked to say the least, not only by the marriage but also by the fact that he seemed so unaffected by it. She put on a good front and tried to be happy for them, but she couldn't. After the guests had left it had been Cassie who had gotten drunk, not Jack. She was angry at first, railing against all of them for letting this twisted mess happen. Later she had cried in his arms and begged him to let his pain out. He didn't.

He didn't for two weeks. Long enough for Cassie to quit clinging and go back up to school in Denver. Long enough for Teal'c to stop shadowing him. Long enough for Hammond to quit calling him every day. Long enough for the newlyweds to think that he was truly okay with it and stop avoiding him. Long enough to get the reception over with. And long enough for the members of the SGC to stop looking at him with such pity and waiting for him to break down.

After two weeks he allowed himself to break down.

So here he was standing on the balcony of a hotel over looking the night lights of Colorado Springs, a glass of fine Irish whiskey in his hand, and asleep in the bed was a woman who looked and acted absolutely nothing like Lt. Colonel Doctor Samantha Carter-Jackson. He swallowed the last of his drink and walked back into the room to fuck the nameless woman a second time.

-

TBC


	8. Part 8

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 8**

Jack walked back into his office after sending SG-1 on their merry way across the galaxy. It had been two months since Daniel and Carter had gotten married and the team dynamic had not changed. In fact, Jack could almost forget that they were married most of the time. They behaved no differently than they had before, even off base. Of that Jack was thankful. He was trying his best to cone to terms with the situation, but if he had been constantly bombarded by make out sessions someone would have died. Who he couldn't say. Possibly all three of them.

The really odd thing was that since becoming Mrs. Daniel Jackson, Carter was more relaxed and openly friendly with Jack. It confused him at first. After living so long with the tension between them and the fear that someone might misinterpret a gesture or a word, he didn't know what to do when it was gone. The tension was still kind of there which was the painful part, but the fear of being caught acting 'inappropriately' was gone. It seemed since Carter was officially spoken for by his supposed best friend it wasn't unseemly if they were a little more casual with each other and act as if they really were friends. Which was disconcerting as hell for Jack. He had been waiting for rumors of an affair between them to start but they hadn't so far. Quite the contrary, rumors had been running rampant that Carter and Daniel had been in love from the first moment they met and had finally stopped avoiding the inevitable. Jack's part was as the tragic sap who was desperately in love with the woman who was desperately in love with his best friend. It might have been easier for him to take if they were desperately in love with each other. They behaved if they were nothing more than roommates. No little endearments. No hand holding or playing footsie under the conference room table. But all that normalcy made it that much more painful when he happened to see the ring on one of their fingers.

"Unscheduled off world activation!"

Jack left his office and went back into the control room. "IDC?"

"It's SG-1, sir."

"Crap," Jack ran down the stair to the gate room and yelled over his shoulder. "Call for a med team!"

When Jack arrived in the gate room, SG-1 was just stepping through the gate. Carter, looking decidedly green, was being supported by Daniel. He gently lowered her down to sit on the ramp.

"What the hell happened to Carter? You weren't there five minutes."

"Colonel Carter became violently ill when we exited the gate," Teal'c responded.

Jack knelt down beside Cater who was now laying on the ramp. "Hey, Carter. You okay?" She had her hand clasped over her mouth and shook her head. "What did I tell you about eating those big meals before going through the gate?"

Carter closed her eyes trying to fight off a wave of nausea. "Please don't make me laugh, sir."

"Sorry." Jack stood as the medics came rushing in and settled Carter onto a gurney before quickly exiting. He turned to Daniel still sitting on the ramp. He looked a little green himself. "What happened?"

"I have never seen anyone throw up that much in such a short period of time in my life," he said a little dazed.

Jack looked to Teal'c for clarification. "It was not an unusually turbulent trip. Colonel Carter became ill the moment she arrived on the planet. I do not believe anything on the planet was responsible."

Jack nodded and then looked down at Daniel. "C'mon, Danny boy, better head to the infirmary." Daniel nodded and allowed Jack to help him to his feet. "You're not looking so hot yourself."

* * *

Several hours later, Daniel was sitting next to Sam's bed when Doctor Brightman came in with the test results. They looked at her expectantly.

"Well, Colonel Carter, you aren't sick."

"I beg to differ. I don't think I've ever felt this bad."

The doctor smiled, "You're pregnant. Congradulations."

"Uh, would you mind repeating that, Doctor?" Daniel asked. "I think I may have misunderstood you."

"You're going to have a baby."

"Wow."

"You can say that again," Sam muttered weakly. "I guess no more off world for a while."

"No. Not for a least eight months. I estimate you're around 6 weeks along, but we'll know more with further tests."

"Wow," Daniel repeated.

"You said that already," Sam smiled wryly.

Daniel reached up to grasp her hand, "I'm scared."

She squeezed his hand in return, "Me, too."

* * *

TBC

Author's note: I figure shorter updates at shorter intervals will be better than longer updates at longer intervals.


	9. Part 9

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 9**

Sam dug through the drawers in her lab for a second time. But there was no chocolate to be found. Not even to a Silvertip. She had already been through Daniel's lab. She knew he had a stash of 5th Avenues somewhere but she couldn't find them for the life of her. It wasn't fair. The bastard had knocked her up and then hid his candy from her. She ought to smother him as he slept. She slammed the final drawer shut and sat down heavily. It was hell being six month pregnant, especially when there was a sudden severe shortage of chocolate on base.

She sat contemplating for a while. She could send some hapless airman out for something to fulfill her cravings. No, the General would find out and probably bitch about it causing him extra paperwork. Ah ha. The General and his little known obsession with Reece's Pieces. Not quite what she was looking for, but it would do in a pinch.

She made her way up to the control room and nodded a greeting to the tech on duty and Colonel Reynolds, the duty officer for the night. Then she went into the General's office. She flicked on his desk lamp and sat down in his chair. She took a few minutes to revel in the supple leather and body conforming comfort of his chair. After sitting for hours on end for nearly nine years in her lab on some of the most uncomfortable stools in the universe, she was really quite envious. She supposed being 'the Man' definitely had some perks.

She looked at the items displayed on his desk. There was a folding picture frame near one corner. One side held a picture of his son Charlie, the other Cassie's graduation picture. Another frame sat nearby containing a picture she didn't even know existed. It was taken at O'Malley's during Daniel's welcome home party/Jonas's goodbye party. Apparently it was close to the end of the night they all looked a little too 'relaxed'. Jonas was grinning manically as usual. Teal'c was beside him smiling what passed for a grin for him. Next was Janet holding a half drunk Margarita and laughing at a thoroughly trashed Daniel who was leaning half against her and half against the pool table behind him and looking a little too amused at his drunkenness. Beside him Sam sat on the edge of the pool table leaning on her cue. She had a huge smile on her face and was half turned to the General, or rather the Colonel as he was at the time, beside her. He had a smart ass smirk on his face and pointing the beer bottle in his hand at Daniel. As Sam looked closely at the picture she was astounded to see he had his other arm snaked around her waist. She didn't remember that. She had also ended up very drunk that night so that's not a big surprise. The next morning, she and Janet had to practically fight over space on the bathroom floor until Cassie pointed out that they did in fact have two in the house. She felt herself tearing up at the picture. Those had been happy times. She closed her eyes trying to hold back the tears. Damn these hormones.

She stared down at the calendar blotter and laughed. It was almost completely obscured with doodles. Nearly the entire left side was taken up by massive dogfight between X-302s and…X-wings? Yes. Those were X-wings. 302s and X-wings doing battle against Death Gliders and TIE fighters. _Busted! _she thought gleefully. How could the man draw such accurate Rebel and Imperial fighters with out being a Star Wars fan. _Wait until I tell Teal'c. _On the other side of the paper were various drawings of what looked to be pots and vases. She decided Daniel must have been prattling on about some 'artifacts' when the General had doodled these. There were also a couple of abstract designs, a Homer head, and Earth point of origin symbols scattered all over. It odd to admit but he seemed to be a fairly decent artist.

Her stomach rumbled and she remembered why she was in the General's office in the first place. She opened the middle drawer to find nothing more than pens, pencils, post-it notes, and a yoyo. She quickly went through the other drawers finding nothing more than office supplies, file folders, and a couple more yoyos. In the final drawer she hit the jackpot. Along with a bottle of whiskey was a huge bag of Reece's Pieces and… a small pile of Godiva candy bars? General O'Neill was the Godiva Man?

The first time the Godiva Man had left her a chocolate and toffee bar in her lab had been after the mission where she had been through hell with the Shavidai, forced to wear a hideous outfit complete with veil, kidnapped, beaten, and finally kicking a Mongol's ass. At the time she never suspected O'Neill. She thought it might have been Daniel apologizing for getting her to play anthropologist. The bars and sometimes a few truffles had continued to mysteriously show up whenever she was stressed with one of her projects or after a particularly rough mission. When Daniel 'died' for the first time they still continued to show up, so she had to discount him. She later considered the possibility that it might have been Colonel O'Neill, but then the treats showed up daily while he was trapped on Edora and shortly after when he went undercover. In fact, when he reluctantly returned from Edora she had received a pound of truffles. It seemed that the mysterious Godiva Man knew how much she was hurt by O'Neill's lack of gratitude. She began to suspect Daniel again, but then he 'died' a couple more times and she was still receiving them.

In addition to her pick-me-ups, for every Valentine's she received an elaborately wrapped pound of the most expensive truffles. This also led her to suspect that it wasn't a member of SG-1 because on every Valentine's Day she received a bouquet of yellow roses (her favorite roses) and a small inexpensive piece of jewelry from 'the boys of SG-1'. Janet had also received the same treatment from the grateful injury prone men of SG-1.

The identity of the Godiva Man had been a mystery to her for nearly 9 years. She'd tried everything to find out who he was. She had even been through hours of security camera footage but she could never discover who was responsible. Now it seemed it was in fact General O'Neill, which made sense. He was former Black Ops and probably knew the base better than anyone.

The treats had stopped appearing when she married Daniel. She missed them. She had come to look forward to them brighten her day. That was probably why she was craving chocolate now. She had been conditioned to expect chocolate when she was having a bad day and today had been a bad day. She ignored the Reece's Pieces and pulled out the chocolate bars. She leaned back in the chair and savored the fine chocolate.

"Should I be watching my back?"

She looked up to see Brigadier General Jack O'Neill standing in the doorway of _his_ office looking down at her sitting in _his_ chair behind _his _desk. "Sir?" she asked in surprise.

"I don't know, Carter. Has some sort of coup occurred on my day off? Correct me if I'm wrong but the door still says 'J. O'Neill' not 'S. Carter-Jackson'. "

"I'm sorry, sir. I was looking for chocolate," she blushed deeply and moved to stand but he waved her back down and he sat down in a chair on the other side of the desk.

"I see you found some."

"I didn't mean to plunder, sir. But you've got me conditioned."

"Me?" he looked surprised.

"You were the one leaving Godiva chocolate in my lab all these years, weren't you?"

He smiled mysteriously, "Yep."

"Why did you stop?"

The smile left his face, "It didn't seem appropriate anymore."

"Why?"

"You're married."

"So. You think Daniel would care if you gave me chocolate?"

"No, but things have changed, Carter. You're happily married and I can't keep hoping anymore."

"I'm sorry."

"Are you?" he asked seriously. "Aren't you happy with Daniel?"

"I'm happier than I have been in a long time. It's nice to have someone to come home to who you can actually discuss your day with. Someone who knows what hell I've been through here. He's pretty easy to live with. I don't feel like I'm constantly on the verge of an emotional breakdown anymore and I'm having a child with someone I respect and care about. I didn't think I could have children after Jolinar. So, yeah, I'm guess I pretty happy."

"Then you don't need to be sorry," he smiled more than a little sadly. "I only ever wanted you to be happy. I'm just sorry I couldn't be the man to make you happy."

"Me too," she whispered and then they sat in uncomfortable silence for a couple of minutes.

He cleared his throat. "Hand me those Reece's Pieces."

She tossed the bag over to him and decided to satisfy her curiosity "So when you weren't here for whatever reason how did I still get these?"

"Siler," he said looking a little smug at his own ingenuity. "I had a deal with him to keep you supplied when it looked like you needed a lift." She started crying. "Oh, geez, Carter. Don't cry."

"I'm sorry, sir. I can't help it. It's just these stupid hormones," she said wiping her eyes.

"So where is ol' Danny boy, anyway?"

"Asleep. I couldn't sleep and I was craving chocolate." She eyed him suspiciously. He was dressed in a light blue camp shirt and khaki cargos. "What are you doing here, sir?"

"Oh, I couldn't sleep either, so I thought I might as well work on some stuff."

"Wow. You're starting to sound like me, sir. Is paperwork really that fascinating?" she teased.

"No! The exact opposite. I was hoping it would put me to sleep." He sighed deeply. "My house is just so lonely with Cassie gone this summer. I've really got used to having her around. I miss her."

"Well, if you didn't spoil her so, sir, she would still be here."

"And moping because she couldn't spend the summer in Europe with Georgie."

"Frankie," she corrected.

"Well, some girl with a guys name."

"She's been having a great time, sir."

"I know and very dutiful with the postcards, too. I just miss her."

"We all do. Whoa," Sam grunted and then placed a hand over where her daughter had begun kicking. "Somebody woke up."

"Must be all the sugar." He said popping a few more candies in his mouth.

"Yeah, that may not have been such a good idea this late at night." She leaned back and tried to will her daughter to relax but it didn't really work. "We finally decided on a name."

"Oh, yeah. What's it gonna be? No some wacky mythological name, I hope. Or some scientist."

"We're going to name her after Janet-"

"No!" he interrupted. "You can't name your kid 'Janet Jackson'."

Sam laughed, "No, sir. We thought of that. We're going to call her 'Grace'. That was Janet's middle name and 'Catherine' after Catherine Langford. So, it's Grace Catherine Carter-Jackson."

"Gracie. I like it." The General grinned manically. "You do know that Uncle Teal'c and Uncle Jack are going to spoil her insanely, don't you? If you think I'm bad with Cassie, you just wait."

"Oh, God. I'm already terrified." She laughed and then turned serious. "Can I ask you a personal question, sir?"

"Oh, for cryin' out loud, Carter. We've known each other for nearly a decade and you're married to my closest friend and carrying his child. I think it's okay for you to call me 'Jack' when we're off duty."

"Okay, Jack," she conceded. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Shoot."

"Why didn't you and Sara have anymore children beside Charlie?"

He sat silently for such a long time she didn't think he would answer. Finally he did in a voice devoid of emotion, "She didn't want to have anymore kids with me."

"Why?"

"I was never there. As much as I loved him I really wasn't much of a father to Charlie. Carter, you're an Air Force brat. You know what it was like for your mother when your father was gone. Can you imagine how much worse that would have been if he was special forces or black ops? I wasn't even there when Charlie was born. I can't even tell you how many times I'd been declared dead when we were married. It was hell on Sara. She falsely assumed after Charlie was born I would give that stuff up, but I couldn't. I was needed and the duty to my country meant more to me than the duty to my family. Sara didn't really understand that I was doing so that they would always be safe too. She always said it was like being married to Batman. Her husband always out defending the innocent and never knowing in what condition I would come back to her. If I would at all."

"Batman doesn't have a wife."

"There's a good reason for that, I guess. I loved her. She was my little slice of normal. I guess I used her, but I couldn't hang up my 'cape' for anyone, not Sara, not Charlie, not you." He met her eyes and she felt like crying again but she was able to hold it in.

"I would never ask you to," she told him honestly. "You were…you are needed. I've always understood that. I could never do the same for you either."

"So here we are," he said ruefully.

"Here we are."

"Unscheduled off world activation!"

Sam and Jack both automatically got to their feet and walked to the control room. Colonel Reynolds looked at the General as he walked in, "It's the old Tok'ra IDC, sir."

"We're getting an audio transmission, sir."

"Put it on speaker," Reynolds ordered.

"This is Jacob Carter and Selmak of the Tok'ra requesting permission-"

"Jake!" Jack cut him off. "You never write, you never call, we were beginning to think you didn't love us anymore."

"Good to here you, Jack. So can I come through?"

"Sure. Carter's got a big surprise for you."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah." Jack turned to the tech. "Open the iris." Then he bounded down the stairs only to realize Sam wasn't behind him. "Carter, don't you want to see Dad?"

"Uh uh," she shook her head and put her hands protectively over her belly. This was going to shock the hell out of her father.

Jack laughed and Reynolds snickered behind her back. "Well, Reynolds you'd better send someone to wake Daniel up. He's gonna to have some 'spailin' to do."

"Yes, sir."

"C'mon. Carter, don't be a chicken. He won't kill you. Spacemonkey just might not be able to have any more kids." He turned and continued down the steps and Sam followed slowly after him.

When Sam made it to the gate room, her dad and Jack we engaged in a very manly back thumping hug. They parted and Jacob smiled as his daughter. Then his eyes tracked down to her enlarged belly. He turned to Jack with a murderous gleam in his eye. Jack held a his hands in defense. "Whoa there, turbo. You got the wrong guy."

"Dad, quit threatening the General. It's not his-"

"General?" Jacob gasped in disbelief. "What the hell is going on here? Am I in one those alternate realities that I keep hearing about?"

"Hi, Jacob," Daniel said as walked sleepily into the Gate Room.

"Daniel, what's going on here?" Jacob pleaded.

"Well, that's simple," Daniel said with a yawn and placed a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder. "Sam and I got married about six months ago and you've got another grandchild on the way."

"WHAT?" Jacob turned to Jack. "He's kidding right? This is all some elaborate joke to get back at me for being away for so long, right?"

Jack shook his head.

"Dad, I know this is a shock…"

"Shock? Like a zat blast. What happened to cop guy?"

"We broke up. I thought you didn't like him."

"I hated him, but what about…" Jacob turned confusedly to look at Jack.

"C'mon, Jake," Jack said leading him out the room. "How about some good old fashioned Tauri coffee? And cake. Wouldn't cake be nice?"

"Sure," he said dumbly.

"Daniel and Carter will explain the whole thing. Just think you're gonna be a grandpa again."

Daniel pulled Sam closer to him as they followed, "You remember when we found out about Grace and I said I was scared?"

"Yeah?"

"You're father is what I was afraid of."

-

TBc


	10. Part 10

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 10**

Jack sat glaring at the stack of papers in his 'in' box. He was tired of signing stuff. His hand hurt. His signature wasn't even a signature anymore. It was just wavy line. He needed a stamp. Why wouldn't Walter get him a stamp? Better yet, let Walter sign everything. He could probably sign Jack's name better than he could anyway. Jack's internal whining was interrupted by the ring of the red phone. "O'Neill."

"General," Dr. Brightman began. "Colonel Carter has gone into labor."

"Ah, crap. I thought she wasn't do for another week or so."

"She isn't, but the baby's ready and she's coming."

"Okay. I'll have Daniel recalled."

"Yes, sir. I'll tell her."

* * *

Jack, his hands stuffed firmly in his pockets, walked in the room that had been become the delivery room. "Carter, how are you doing?"

"How the hell does it look like I'm doing?" Sam grated out.

"In pain," he responded honestly.

"They won't give me any drugs, sir. Make them give me drugs," she pleaded and Jack had to fight back a smile. He had seen Sam withstand torture with more forbearance than this.

"Colonel Carter, I told you already that we have no idea how the pain killers will react with the Naquada in a newborn's blood. Do you want to risk her health?"

"No."

"It'll be over soon, Carter," Jack said placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You wanna switch places, sir?" she barked out a laugh. "I'll sign my life away and you have the baby."

"Wish I could." He so didn't want to tell her this next part. "Umm, Carter. I don't how to tell you this, but Daniel is about a day's hike away from the Stargate."

"WHAT!"

"Daniel's about a day away from the Stargate. He's hurrying back as fast as he can."

"That bastard! He just had to go play with his fucking rocks, didn't he?"

"Well, your early, Carter," he said trying to placate her. "He didn't really want to go anyway, but you told him to. Remember?"

"I don't care. He should be here. He put me in this damn situation. I hope he's discovered a sarcophagus because he's gonna need it."

Jack turned to Brightman, "For cryin' out loud, are you sure you can't give her drugs?"

"Not without risking the baby. Now, General, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

"Okay." He squeezed Sam's shoulder. "I'll let you know when we hear something, Carter."

She grasped his hand, "Sir…Jack, please stay."

"You mean…"

"Please."

"Oy." He sighed. "Yeah, sure." He winced as she gripped his hand harder as an especially strong contraction hit her. "Try not to damage my writing hand. Walter will have a fit if I can't sign anything."

"Let the General go, Colonel. He needs to get scrubbed in," Dr. Brightman pulled Jack out of Sam's grasp. "I promise he'll be back soon."

* * *

Dr. Brightman placed the squalling bloody baby in Jack's arms as she finished with Sam. Jack gingerly held the delicate bundle and gazed down at Grace Catherine Carter-Jackson. He swayed slightly and murmured quietly to soothe the little girl as he had done when Charlie had been an infant. Grace soon quieted and opened her eyes to gaze at the man holding her. "Oh, God," he whispered. Grace had Charlie's eyes. While he hadn't been present at his son's birth he knew he had been born with brown eyes just as his father had been. Jack felt a sudden surge of emotion wash over him. He was holding his daughter. "Oh, God," he repeated holding her a little tighter, but still careful not to hurt her.

"Jack, what is it? What's wrong?" Sam called franticly. "Is she okay?"

"Oh, no. Nothing's wrong. She's okay," Jack carried his daughter over to her mother. "She better than okay. She's just so beautiful, Sam." Jack gently placed Grace in Sam's arms.

"Oh, God, she is," Sam studied her new daughter in awe. "Look, Jack, she's got Dad's eyes."

"Yeah, she does," he muttered turning away. "I'm just gonna get cleaned up. I gotta make sure they haven't lost the Stargate or something."

"Jack, thank you," Sam called after him. "Thank you for being here."

"Yeah, sure, you betcha."

-

TBC


	11. Part 11

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 11**

Later that night Jack snuck back down to the infirmary. He hadn't been able to get back to work after Grace had been born, but he was afraid to spend too much time with her. Afraid someone would notice what was glaringly obvious to him, that Grace was his daughter. When he got to Carter's room he was glad to see she was asleep. He set the arrangement of yellow rose down on her nightstand with several other bouquets left by other SGC well wishers. He moved to the Grace's bassinet and sparkling brown eyes met his. "Hey, sweetheart, look what I've got for you," he waved the soft brown bunny above her and she reached for it. He let her grab onto the bunny and the gently lifted her into his arms. He placed a tender kiss to her forehead. Jack sat down in the chair near Carters bed and held his daughter while she chewed on her new bunny's ear. Jack was immensely pleased to be holding his daughter yet at the same time utterly heartbroken because she would never know him as her father. He would be "Uncle Jack", but he was willing to take whatever part in her life he was able to. After a while in his arms she began to get fussy and began to sing softly to her.

* * *

"Twinkle twinkle little star…." Sam woke slowly to the sound of the nursery rhyme and for a moment thought she was still trapped on the Prometheus and the last two years had been a strange concussion induced dream. She was immensely relieved for a second then she realized that the voice crooning was not a little girl named Grace. For the first time the coincidence struck her, but she didn't feel like analyzing that now. She opened her eyes to see General O'Neill pacing the room gently rocking and singing to Grace.

"Don't you know any other songs?"

At the sound of her voice he looked startled and then smiled at her, "I thought it was appropriate considering who her parents are." Sam was struck by his soft smile. It was something she had rarely seen. He smiled infrequently and when he did it was usually a smirk or had a sarcastic bitter edge to it. She liked this smile. She watched him as he continued pacing and singing. It was an incongruous image, the hard bitten warrior in olive drab delicately holding a tiny pink bundle. She had almost drifted off to sleep from the sound of his voice as well when the tune abruptly shifted. "Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling from glen to glen and down the mountain side, the summer's gone and all the roses fallen, it's you it's you that must go…"

"Funny, Jack."

She opened her eyes to see her husband supported by Teal'c enter the room. Daniel's leg was splinted and Teal'c helped him hobble to the chair by her bed.

"I thought so," Jack told him with his usual smirk and handed his daughter over to the man who would be known as her father. He stepped back to stand with Teal'c and watched Daniel's expression closely.

"She's beautiful, Sam!" Daniel told his wife as he marveled at the child in his arms. "Look at her eyes!"

"I know. Dad will be pleased she takes after him," Sam said as she slid over to the edge of the bed to look at her daughter once again.

"I hope she'll have more hair than ol' Jake," Jack joked trying to keep up his normal sarcastic façade. Inwardly he was relieved that Daniel also thought the Grace had her grandfather's eyes, though he wouldn't put it past the Daniel to realize his mistake eventually.

"As do I, O'Neill," Teal'c walked to peer down at Grace. "But she is still a most lovely child. I offer you my most heartfelt congratulations," he said to Sam and Daniel.

"You want to hold her, 'Uncle' Teal'c?" Daniel offered.

"Indeed," Teal'c gently took the baby from Daniel. Grace gurgled and seemed to smile at him. "She seems to he a most happy child." He studied her closely, then turned with his eyebrow raised to Jack. He knew with that on look that Teal'c was aware of who Grace's true father was. Jack was also confident that Teal'c would never share his knowledge.

Dr. Brightman came into the room, "Sorry to interrupt, but Dr. Jackson needs to get his leg set."

"Yeah, what happened?" Jack asked glad to have Teal'c's attention turned elsewhere.

"Daniel Jackson tripped over a rock on our return to the Stargate," Teal'c replied because Daniel looked too embarrassed.

"I was in a hurry," Daniel tried to explain though his face was flushed. He turned to Sam, "I'm sorry, Sam. I shouldn't have gone."

"It's okay, Daniel."

"That's not what she said in labor. She was threatening to kill you, Spacemonkey," Jack put in.

"I was not!" Sam protested.

"What was that bit about the sarcophagus, Carter?"

Sam just glared at him.

"Come on, Dr. Jackson," the doctor motioned for two orderlies to help Daniel to his feet and out the room.

-

TBC


	12. Part 12

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 12**

"Well, kids, looks like we've got a problem," Jack looked at the people seated around the table, Teal'c, Daniel, Carter, Jacob, and Thor at the end in his fancy Asgard chair. "A little while ago I received a call from Agent Malcolm Barrett of the NID. He has come across some information regarding how the Trust is very interested in Grace."

"Harsesis," Daniel said as a groan and looked over at Sam. She reached out and clutched his hand. "They thinks she could be a Harsesis."

"Unfortunately," Jack nodded. "The question is could she be?"

"I don't know," Daniel admitted. "Shifu was the first known Harsesis. Legend says a Harsesis is the child born from two hosts with living symbiotes. I've never been a host and Sam no longer carries Jolinar. I don't know how that works. Jacob?" he turned to his father in law.

"There has never been a host of a dead Tok'ra to have child before, so we don't know if its possible for Grace to have Jolinar's genetic memory. Selmak and I began researching the possibility as soon as we found out Sam was going to have a baby. We haven't been able to turn up anything. As I said this is a first for the Tok'ra"

Jack nodded and continued with the rest of Barrett's information. "They're also interested to see if she might be genetically different because Daniel was once ascended." Teal'c raised eyebrow in his direction, but Jack ignored it. He knew Teal'c wouldn't bring up the fatherhood issue here.

"That's ridiculous. I'm still human. Janet ran every conceivable test when I came back."

"We know that but, since when have these people been rational. Anyway, I've spoken to General Hammond and Thor about taking some precautions for Grace's safety. It has been agreed by the Joint Chiefs and the president that the best thing would be to have Grace stay on base when her parents are here and when they're off world. Several nurses will be added to the infirmary to provide her with constant care. When she's old enough, tutors will be brought in for her education. Besides we have the best minds in the world here, anyway." Jack paused and nodded to Thor, "As an additional precaution in case she is Harsesis, Thor will put a marker in her DNA to prevent cloning or genetic manipulation like they did with me and also give her a subcutaneous tracking device that would allow him to track her and beam her up if she did happen to get abducted."

Daniel turned to Thor, "That's very generous, Thor. Thank you."

"We are very grateful for all the help you and Colonel Carter provided us over the years. It was the very least we could do."

"NO!"

Everyone, shocked by her outburst, turned to look at Sam. It was the first time she had spoken since the meeting had begun.

"Sam, are you okay?" Daniel questioned.

"No, Daniel, and I don't know how you can be either. They want to make our daughter a prisoner for entire life. Raised for the good of the state. What are we in the soviet Union now? I won't allow it."

"Sam…" Jacob began.

She ignored her father and turned to ire to the General. "How can you do this, sir? To treat my daughter like some useful piece of alien technology we brought through the gate. Is that what she is to you, General, a tool?"

If he had not been a man with such tight control on his emotions he would have railed back at her 'She's my daughter!' but he didn't. He sat there, his expression icy and his voice disturbingly calm and soft. "Tell me, Colonel Carter, what was it like to be experimented on by Adrian Conrad's people? What was it like knowing that they were about to kill you for no other reason than they wanted to dissect you to see how you survived Jolinar? Tell me how it felt to watch Cassie dying because she was supposed to be a science experiment.? How did it feel to become one of Nirrti's experiments and to know you would die from it? Do you remember the girl Anna? Can you tell me, Colonel, what it feels like to have your child die from your own carelessness? I can." Sam glared at him, her jaw tightly clenched. He knew that look. It was the one where she didn't want hear what he was saying. "Carter, you and Daniel asked me to be Grace's guardian if anything happened to the two of you. Why did you do that if you didn't think I would always have her best interests at heart? I just want to protect her."

Sam stared back at him her gaze still hard and unyielding. " We could take her off world."

"Sam, she'd be in just as much danger, maybe more so out there," Jacob said to his daughter gently. "You know it."

"Colonel Carter, your daughter is Tauri, she should be raised among her people," Teal'c told her.

Daniel squeezed her hand again. "This is the best way, Sam. She won't be prisoner. Hopefully by the time she's ready for school we won't have to worry about the Trust anymore."

Sam closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking back at Jack, her tone coldly formal, "Sir, permission to be dismissed to prepare my daughter for Thor's 'procedure'."

"Granted, Colonel."

"Thank you, sir," she stood and walked briskly out the room.

"Jack, I'm sorry," Daniel turned to his friend aghast at his wife's accusations. "I don't know what came over her."

"Colonel Colonel is only a she-beast defending her young."

Jacob barked out a shocked laugh, "Teal'c, I don't know if I'd let her hear you call her a 'she-beast' or you might not be a 'he-beast' for much longer."

"Indeed."

Daniel shook his head. The tension that had lain over the room since Sam's outburst had dissipated with Teal'c's statement. Even the coldness in Jack's eyes seemed to have melted a tad. Daniel gathered his crutches and stood, "I gonna go help Sam." He paused by Jack and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you, Jack. Thank you for being there with her at the delivery and for what you're doing to protect Grace. If Sam's not grateful for your help, I am."

Jack nodded his acceptance of the thanks and Daniel hobbled out.

"Sam didn't mean it, Jack," Jacob told him. He knew Jack well enough to know Sam's accusations had hurt him. "It's just the hormones. My wife was hell on wheels for a while after Sam and Mark were born."

"Yeah, well…" Jack began but he didn't know how to respond. This day had gone from bad to worse. In fact, the past couple of days had been hell. He'd gotten a daughter only to know he could never acknowledge her and been accused of wanting to use that daughter in some malicious way instead of protecting her. He looked at Thor sitting at the opposite end of the table. "How's the whole cloning thing working out for you guys? Guess you don't have to deal with this kind of crap, huh?"

Thor blinked thoughtfully. "There are many benefits from cloning but also many disadvantages as well, O'Neill."

* * *

Jack was sitting in his office going over some reports. He was just about to call it a night when Thor suddenly appeared before him.

"Thor, I thought you were outta here already." When they had returned, Daniel had told Jack that Thor was supposed to be leaving now that he had finished with Grace. So he had assumed that's what Thor had done.

"There was something I wished to speak to you about, O'Neill, but I was not sure how to address it."

"So, what were you just sitting up there orbiting up on your ship for- what?" he looked down at his watch. "4 hours?"

"Yes."

"And what did you need to 'address'?"

"I am still uncertain how to proceed."

"That makes me nervous, buddy. You're supposed to be the big brain."

"We Asgard have not had so discuss such a matter since long before I was first made. I'm uncertain as to what the correct human custom would be in such matters."

"Just spit it out, Thor. Whatever it is you're not going to offend me." Jack had never seen Thor nervous before and that made him exceedingly nervous.

"Very well." Thor nodded. "The child known as Grace Jackson is not Dr. Jackson's offspring. She is yours, O'Neill."

"I know."

Thor blinked and was speechless for a moment. "I do not understand. Why does she bear Dr. Jackson's name? Is in not customary for a Tauri child to bear their father's name?"

"Generally. No one knows Grace is mine."

"I still do not understand."

"Carter and I made something of a mistake and spent one night together before she married Daniel. She and Daniel believe Grace is theirs and I see no reason to tell them otherwise. It would only cause too much pain for everyone."

"I see. This explains many things. I have long thought it unlikely Colonel Carter could conceive with a normal human due to the many traumas her body has had to withstand."

"What do you mean 'normal human'?"

"You are advanced, O'Neill."

"So what you're saying is that no one else could have had a child with Carter?"

"Not unless they were equally advanced. I do not believe there could be many other humans as advanced as you are, O'Neill. You are legendary."

Jack could not help the impossibly smug smile from forming on his lips.

"Your daughter is also legendary. She is an even greater leap ahead than you are. We had hoped you would procreate, O'Neill."

"Yes, well, I had too, but I had hoped under better circumstances. Can we keep this piece of information just between us, Thor?"

" Of course, O'Neill. And may I offer you my congratulations."

"Thank you, Thor. For everything."

Thor inclined his head and disappeared in a beam of white light.

TBC


	13. Part 13

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 13**

5 Years Later

Dr. Jackson and Dr. Carter-Jackson were at it again. It wasn't something that happened very much, certainly not in the first couple of years of their marriage. It seemed to be happening with much more frequency lately though. Walter took a step back from Dr. Jackson's lab door and came into contact with a wall that shouldn't have been there. He turned around quickly faced a collar bearing a pair of stars.

"They fightin' again, Walter?" General O'Neill asked.

"Yes, sir. They seem to be."

"For cryin' out loud, Carter and Gracie just got back. This is getting ridiculous."

"Yes, sir. I'll just come back later." Walter took a step back and tried to edge around the general.

"Running away, Walter? Carter wouldn't hurt you."

Walter looked up at his CO in disbelief. Dr. Carter-Jackson was very scary when she was angry. The general seemed to understand his trepidation, but instead of allowing Walter to escape he just smirked, "Don't worry, Walter. I'll protect you."

"But who's going to protect you, sir?"

The general didn't respond, he just pushed Walter through the door of Dr. Jackson's lab. The instant he was over the threshold both Doctors Jackson glowered angrily at him and he understood the general's tactic. Walter was a diversion. "What do you need, Sergeant?" Dr. Carter-Jackson demanded in her best CO voice even though she hadn't been in the Air Force for some years.

"Uh, sorry to interrupt, but-um-but Jonas Quinn just sent through the manuscript you were waiting for, Dr. Jackson." Walter held the massive tome out to the archeologist. As soon as it was in his hands, Walter muttered "Excuse me," and fled the lab.

"Uh, thanks," Daniel said to the empty space that had previously held Walter. He turned to look at Jack who just shrugged. Pissed Carter was indeed a scary phenomenon and unfortunately her attention had now focused on him.

"Jack, what the hell-" Sam began but her tirade was cut off by her daughter barreling into the lab.

"Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack!" Grace called happily throwing herself into his arms.

Jack picked her up and twirled her around as much as he could in the crowed lab. He kissed her cheek, "Gracie! How's my best girl?"

She hugged his neck tightly, "I missed you so much, Uncle Jack."

"And Uncle Jack missed you too, sweetheart."

"Uncle Jack is also in big trouble," Sam stated matter of factly.

"Just like Daddy?" Gracie asked.

"Yes, just like Daddy."

Jack smiled hopefully and held Gracie in front of him as a human shield. "You wouldn't hurt the man holding your daughter, would you?"

"Put her down, Jack."

"I won't let Mommy hurt you and Daddy, Uncle Jack," the girl in his arms stated.

"Thanks, sweetheart."

Sam's anger cracked and she actually had to smile. Her husband had managed to sneak behind Jack and Gracie as if he really did expect the little girl to protect them.

Jack sensed the tension ease and asked Sam, "What's the deal? What did we do this time?"

"My loving husband didn't pick us up at the airport because he was asleep in his lab drooling on some Ancient text-"

"I was not drooling."

"What's that stain then?" she pointed to an ink smudge. He didn't have an answer to that so she continued, "And as it turns out he hasn't left the mountain and probably not this lab for the entire week we've been in San Diego. And you, Jack, are in trouble for letting do it."

"Whoa, there, Carter. It's not my fault. I was with Thor meeting with the Asgard Council for most of the week. In fact, I just got back. Ask Thor. Or Walter. He's handier." She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. She was quite certain that Walter and Thor would cover for him even if he hadn't been gone. Jack was struck by a sudden thought. "And that reminds me," he shifted Gracie to one side and dug into his cargo pocket to pull out a shiny silver ball with blinky lights and held it out to Gracie. "Thor sent that for you."

"Ooh. What is it?"

Jack tossed it up in the air and it hovered and projected a pretty light show of holograms. "It floats and glows."

Gracie began squirming and Jack set her down. She immediately began running around the lab trying to catch some a fluttery butterfly like holograms.

Daniel turned to Jack, "You were gone? I didn't notice."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Geez, no wonder she's pissed at you, Spacemonkey. You have been doing this a lot lately, y'know."

* * *

Jack lifted the sleeping child from his truck and carried her into his house. Jack had offered to take Gracie home for the night so Sam and Daniel could have a chance to 'make up', but he had feeling Carter was just going to lay into Daniel again. Jack couldn't even manage to feel sorry for him. The man had been obsessively working himself into ill health for the better part of a year or at least that's when the strain had really begun to show in the Jacksons' marriage. Jack suspected that it had gone on for longer than that but no one noticed because Daniel was such a workaholic anyway. It had gotten so bad that he had collapsed in his lab and that ended up with a lengthy stay in the infirmary. Dr. Brightman had also banned coffee and caffeine in general from his diet.

Gracie didn't even stir as Jack dressed her in her pajamas and tucked her into bed. Jack then went to take a shower. The hot water beating down on his back felt good and helped ease his sore muscles. He really needed to talk to Thor about getting a comfortable bed on his ship if he was going spend much time there in the future. He didn't really understand why the Asgard thought he was capable of negotiating the new Tauri-Asgard treaty. Diplomacy really wasn't his strong suit. Hopefully he had helped them sort things out sufficiently and the real diplomats could take over from here.

After his shower he grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator. He really needed to talk to Thor about having beer available too. He took his beer and went to check on Gracie. She was still sleeping peacefully, clutching the stuffed rak'ana that Teal'c had made for her. Apparently the stuffed feline creature was the Jaffa equivalent to a teddy bear. Suitably Jaffa-like it was more fearsome looking than cute.

Jack sat in the chair in the corner of the room and watched his daughter sleep. In the quiet moments alone like this he could admit that she was his daughter. He tried his best to push that knowledge into the darkest reaches of his mind most of the time, fearful that he would behave more father-like than uncle-like.

He sat sipping his beer and thought about all that had changed since Gracie's birth. Carter had resigned her commission following SG-1's first mission after the birth of her daughter. What was supposed to be a routine meet and greet had nearly turned into a blood bath. Carter decided she couldn't in good conscience continue risking her life like that now that she had a child. She and Daniel both retired from regular gate missions and were now the heads of the Science and Technology and the Archeology and Linguistics departments. With the break up of SG-1 Teal'c had married Ishta and had become a leader of the free Jaffa. The President had decided that the designation SG-1 should be retired in honor of all their contributions to the program. Personally, Jack thought he didn't want to have another team cursed to have 'interesting' missions.

The Asgard with the help of the SGC had finally eradicated the Replicators and were currently helping to fight the Goa'uld. The System Lords were decimated by now. Relations between the Tauri, Tok'ra, and the free Jaffa seemed to be on the upswing. Harry Maybourne was apparently king of a planet and shockingly enough seemed to be doing a pretty good at it.

Several attempts had been made to grab Gracie but they had all been thwarted . And with Agent Barrett's help the Trust had been pretty much dismantled. Grace had become a fixture in the SGC. Everyone was enchanted with her. She was an amazingly smart kid, which wasn't surprising who her mother was. She picked things up quickly. Daniel had already taught her the rudiments of several earth languages not to mention Goa'uld and Ancient. She had a precocious and inquisitive child and liked to touch things she wasn't supposed to. She got that from Jack. She pretty much had the run of the 'safe' areas of the base though always with one of her nanny/bodyguards in tow. If she wasn't found in one of her parents labs she could generally be found playing quietly in a corner of his office. She was outgoing yet prone to moments of quiet introspection. She was overall wonderfully happy child and Jack loved her dearly. And Gracie loved her 'Uncle Jack'. As soon as she was old enough Jack began taking her to his cabin with him. Daniel had in fact encouraged him. Jack had worried he might be overstepping his bounds as 'Uncle Jack'. This and some of the looks Daniel had given him over the years led Jack to believe that Daniel might have figured out the truth, but it was never mentioned or insinuated. Carter on the other hand never seemed to suspect.

His relationship with Carter had also evolved since Grace's birth, especially since she resigned her commission. She called him 'Jack' now. No more 'sir' or 'General' unless she was being facetious. Their relationship had relaxed into a comfortable friendship except for the odd moment of sexual tension that flared up occasionally. It usually happened after they had all had a couple of beers and began flirting heavily. Daniel seemed find this highly amusing. In a way he and Sam had gotten even closer in the last year or so, if that was possible. She seemed to be relying more on him emotionally. Daniel had been steadily immersing himself in Ancient lore and seemed to have begun to withdraw from his family as this past week was an example of.

Cassie was pursuing a doctorate in Archeology much to Daniel's delight and already had a place assured at the SGC. She had run away to Vegas to marry her boyfriend but got cold feet at the last minute and called Jack at 3:00 AM to come and get her. She had since become more studious.

Even though Jack was chained to a desk, the woman he still loved was still married to his best friend, his best friend seemed to be retreating from reality to his research, his other best friend now lived on another planet with his own family, and he still couldn't acknowledge his daughter, this was still one of the happiest periods in his life. He had long since reconciled himself with the fact that fate had seemed to plan that Jack O'Neill couldn't have his cake and eat it too.

TBC


	14. Part 14

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 14**

Jack pulled into the driveway of the Carter-Jackson home. He'd come to tell Daniel about his wife's impromptu trip through the Stargate. Anise had requested her help with some scientific project and Carter had gated to the Tok'ra base. Jack had been reluctant to let her go. Even after all these years he still didn't trust that blonde bimbo Tok'ra, but he trusted Jacob and Selmak to keep an eye on Sam. He had tried calling Daniel, but Jack kept getting the machine and the voice mail on his cell phone. So here he was. The front door was open so he just let himself into the house. Jack heard voices coming out of Daniel's study. He stopped at the door and listened for a moment.

"Daddy, Daddy, come play," Gracie's pleaded.

"Not now, Gracie," Daniel said sounding more than slightly exasperated. "Daddy's very busy. Why don't you go play with your dolls?"

"I'm bored. I wanna play with you, Daddy."

"Gracie, please…"

"Tell me a story, Daddy."

"Gracie…"

Jack stepped into the room, "Whatcha doin'?"

"Uncle Jack, Uncle Jack!" Gracie ran to him and he scooped her up into his arms.

"Thank God, Uncle Jack!" Daniel looked up at him. "Can you please do something with her? She has the attention span of an ant today. She's driving me nuts."

Jack set Grace own and knelt down beside her. "Tell you what, sweetie. You run outside and play on the swing set and I'll be out there in a few minutes, okay? I need to talk to your daddy for a minute."

"Hurry," she said and ran out the room.

"And no jumping out of the swings, Grace!" Daniel called after her. He looked up at his friend looming over him. "She's as reckless as you are, Jack." Jack continued to loom and looked decidedly unpleased. "What?"

"We need to have a little talk, Daniel."

"Oh, yeah, Jack, what about?"

"About all this," he said gesturing to the texts and notes scattered all over the desk and stacked on the floor. "It's becoming a problem."

"To whom?"

"Your wife, your kid, your friends."

"Jack, this is my job."

"_This _is not your job. In fact, your job performance has been severely lacking of late. I can't tell you how many complaints I've had about you simply ignoring requests for translations and research."

"So you're here as the "General"?" Daniel asked bitterly.

"No, Daniel. I'm here as your friend. I'm worried about you. Just look at you, Daniel. You look like shit. You've lost weight. And when was the last time you had a hair cut? Y'know, I maybe wrong but those are the same clothes you wore leaving the base three days ago."

"Jack, I'm just so close!"

"To what?"

"You wouldn't understand!"

"Try me."

"It doesn't matter."

"Daniel, if you're not careful, you're going to lose everything."

"That's where you're wrong, Jack, I never had anything. And I think I've done all I can here," Daniel said turning back to his texts effectively dismissing Jack.

* * *

"Gracie, Grandpa's here!" Sam called as she led her father into her house. Both Sam and Jacob were shocked when Grace didn't coming racing in to meet them. "Maybe she's outside." Sam walked through the living room to the picture window looking out into the back yard, but the yard was empty.

"Maybe they went for a walk," Jacob suggested.

"Who, Daniel? Not these days."

"Is he okay, Sam?"

"I don't know."

Sam opened the door of Daniel's study to find him hunched over his notes scribbling franticly. "Daniel, where's Grace?"

"Grace?" Daniel looked up in confusion.

"Your daughter."

"I know, Sam. Did you check her room? She's probably playing." Daniel looked back down at his notes. "Jack's here. She's probably forcing him to have a tea party or something."

"Jack's truck isn't here, Daniel."

"Maybe he walked."

"He's supposed to be in Minnesota," she told her husband but he ignored her. Sam sighed heavily and left the study in exasperation. "I know I get involved in my work, Dad, but have I ever been that bad?"

"Only when you were working get Jack on some planet he managed to strand himself on."

When they got to Gracie's room they found a note stuck to the door. "Gone fishin'" It wasn't signed but it was in Jack's handwriting.

"Well I guess that explains that."

"I'm sorry, Dad. I know you came to spend some time with her. Jack should have gotten permission."

"Sam, you were off world and Daniel's not exactly himself, is he? I think she's far better off with Jack than Daniel."

"I know. I'll call Jack and have him bring her back."

"Don't bother, Sam. I wouldn't mind a bit of fishing myself. I think you and Daniel need to have a long talk. And if that doesn't work than Selmak and I are going to have a long talk with him. And I don't think he'll like that."

* * *

Jacob rounded the corner of the cabin to find Jack and Grace swimming in the lake. He set down the duffle bag and walked out to the short dock. Grace caught sight of him and screeched, "Grandpa!" before clambering up the shore.

Jack smiled at Gracie's excitement as he levered himself up on the dock.

"Grandpa, come swim with me!"

"Not right now, baby. Selmak's scared of the water. I'll just sit here with Jack and watch you okay."

"Okay!" Grace got a running start and jumped off the dock producing a splash that managed to soak both Jacob and Jack.

Jack handed Jacob his towel and asked with a raised eyebrow, "Selmak's scared of the water?"

"Well, maybe not Selmak. There's a reason I didn't join the navy. I got caught in a flash flood once when I was a kid. Never liked the water since." Jacob tossed the towel and eyed the cooler. "Beer in there?"

"Yep and Kool-Aid. Take your pick."

"I'll have a beer. You want one?"

"Nah." Jack turned his attention back to Grace who was splashing around in the water in her inner tube.

Jacob pulled his shoes off and rolled his pant legs up let. He sat down next to Jack and let his feet soak in the cool water.

"So what brings you to my little corner of the universe, Jake?"

"I came back with Sam to visit my granddaughter, but she was kidnapped," Jacob's question was spoken lightly but there was an underlying question to it.

Jack gave the other man a long searching look before her spoke. "I didn't trust Daniel with her."

"It's that bad?"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong with him, Jack?"

"I don't know. He's obsessed with his research."

"What's he researching?"

"Ancient philosophy according to Jonas. Daniel's been consulting him occasionally."

Jack paused unsure of how much he should about Daniel and Sam's relationship, but then Jacob said what Jack been thinking. "Sam's not happy with him anymore. She married him because she was tired of being alone but now her husband's going AWOL."

* * *

Jack was still cleaning up from dinner when Jacob came back into the living room after tucking Grace in. Jacob wandered over to the mantle and examined the pictures there. One was of SG-1, from the looks of it taken off world. Another was one of Jack and his son Charlie in his baseball uniform. Next to it was one of Jack with Gracie. She was wearing Jack's floppy camouflaged hat and holding a small fishing pole.

'Jacob,' Selmak began. 'Perhaps it's just me, but doesn't Grace bear a striking resemblance to Charlie O'Neill.'

'Holy Hannah! Selmak, do you think that Gracie is Jack's?'

'She does favor him more than Doctor Jackson.'

"Hey, Jake," Jack called from the kitchen. "You want another beer?" When Jacob didn't respond Jack walked out of the living room with two beers in hand. He stopped when he saw what Jacob was looking at. "Jacob?"

"Gracie's your daughter, Jack."

"Yeah."

Jacob turned to face the father of his granddaughter. "I don't understand.."

Jack set the beers down on the coffee table and sank into the couch. He scrubbed a hand over his face. "When Carter broke up with Pete she ended up getting really drunk and I was supposed to be looking after her, but she threw herself at me and I was stupid and weak. She took off for San Diego the next morning. I wanted to go after her, but I couldn't. The Joint Chiefs were coming for a visit or something. Daniel went and came back married to Carter. And then I had to shred my resignation letter."

"I'm sorry, Jack," Jacob told him with genuine sympathy. He knew how much Jack had cared about Sam for all these years. "So, no one knows Daniel isn't Grace's father?"

"Teal'c knows. He's never mentioned it though, but I can tell he knows. Thor knows."

"From when he gave her the marker."

"Yeah, I think Daniel has realized it, too. He gives me and Gracie weird looks sometimes."

"Sam doesn't."

"If she does I've never seen any indication."

"Sam's good at hiding from herself and over looking the obvious. She gets that from me," Jacob turned to examine the picture again. "God, I feel so stupid. It's so obvious. She looks just like you, Jack. Talk about hiding in plain sight."

Jack and Jacob sat on the dock fishing and sipping beer. Gracie was off playing by herself near the bank. "Are there actually any fish in this lake, Jack?"

"Sure there are. They're just crafty."

"Very crafty apparently." Jacob looked for his granddaughter. She was moving farther away along the edge of the lake. "Gracie," he called. "Come back. You're going too far."

Gracie ran back over to the two men on the dock. "It's okay, Grandpa. Skaara was with me."

Jack turned to look at her sharply, "Skaara?"

"Skaara comes to play with me sometimes. He's more fun than Oma."

"Oma? Does Oma play with you, too?" Jack questioned alarmed.

"Uh uh, Oma helped me forget. She talks a lot."

"Forget what?" Jacob asked.

"I don't remember, Grandpa. I forgot."

"Of course you did, sweetheart." Jack told her slightly amused. "What does Oma talk about?"

"About how one day I'll be old enough to remember and about how Daddy's going to go away soon but he'll still be here like Oma and Skaara."

"Jack, is she saying that Daniel's going to ascend again?"

"I think so," Jack threw down his fishing pole. "Jacob, we've got to get back. I don't suppose you have a tel'tac parked around here somewhere?"

"No."

Jack pulled out his cell phone. "This is General O'Neill. Let me speak to Sgt. Davis." Jack wait a few moments be for Walter picked up. "Walter, is the Prometheus still in orbit?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. Have them transport me, Jacob Carter, and Gracie to Dr. Jackson's house."

"Yes, sir. Is anything wrong?"

"Just do it, Walter."

"Yes, sir."

It wasn't long before white light enveloped them and they appeared in the Jackson's kitchen where Sam and Daniel were facing off against one another.

"Daniel, don't do this," Jack told him.

"It's too late, Jack," Sam told him and threw her coffee mug through her husband and it smashed on into the wall behind him.

"Oma needs me," Daniel stated simply.

"You selfish bastard, your wife and kid need you," Jack argued.

"There is still great evil in the universe. Oma couldn't help me ascend again. I had to do it own my own. I can do so much more in this form."

"You couldn't do a whole hell of a lot when Baal had me!"

"That was different. You were on a lower plane."

"Lovely. Have you forgotten your responsibilities on this lower plane."

"Jack, I thought you of all people would understand that there are bigger things worth fighting for that requires you to leave your family."

"I'm not sure I believe that anymore, Daniel."

"I have to do this." Daniel looked to his wife who stood there stiffly, desperately trying to hold back her tears and anger. "Sam, I'm sorry if I've hurt you and Gracie. But by doing this I will be helping to protect you."

"I think understand, Daniel."

"I guess you would, Sam. But you're still angry. I hope you can forgive me in time. You should know that Gracie is Harsesis. Oma helped her forget but she will remember one day. "He turned back to his angry friend, "Jack, take care of Sam and Gracie."

"No, that's your job. You can descend again. Do it now!"

"Jack, please don't make this even more difficult."

"O'Neill," Skaara said appearing before him. "Daniel is needed."

"Skaara, how ya been?" Jack asked bitterly.

"Well, O'Neill."

"You been keeping an eye on Gracie, I hear," he told Skaara a little more civilly.

"She is special."

"You ascended types aren't going to take her away like Shifu are?"

"She is needed here, O'Neill. She will be legendary." He turned to Daniel. "We must go."

"Sam, I'm sorry. I wish there could be another way. Please be happy." She nodded but silent tears began to fall. "Jack, I wouldn't be who I am with out your example. You taught me there are bigger things than myself to fight for. Please try to understand."

"I'll try but I'm not promising," he stated grudgingly.

Daniel smiled and turned to Jacob, "It's been an honor to know you and Selmak."

"You too, Daniel."

"Gracie, you be good, okay? I'll still be watching over you. I love you."

"I love you, too. Will you visit?"

"I'll try." With that Daniel and Skaara transformed in amebic light and ten disappeared.

TBC


	15. Part 15

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 15**

Notes: This is the first section of the last part. I know some of you have been waiting for the final chapter and the wait is almost over. Sorry about that. I have difficulty perfecting final chapters. I thought I'd go ahead and put this out there to tide you over. The rest should be posted in the next couple of days. I'm almost done. I swear. Thanks for your patience and prodding.

* * *

Jack was on his way to Carter's lab when he heard her scream echoing through the hallway. He took off running and when he reached her door he collided with Dr. Felger who was exiting the lab. Jack grabbed the man by his lab coat lapels to steady him and demanded, "What's wrong with Carter?"

Felger just stared at him dumbfounded, so Jack shook him. Felger seemed to come back to reality and told Jack, "I don't know. She just yelled at me and threw her coffee cup at me."

"What did you do to her?"

"Nothing. I just asked her out to dinner."

"You big honkin' IDIOT!" Jack slammed him into the wall. "She's just lost her husband and you ask her out on a _date_?"

"N-No," Felger stuttered, suddenly fearful now that he was faced with an angry General O'Neill which was more terrifying than an angry Dr. Carter. "Well, it's not like Doctor Jackson is really dead."

"Have you seen any glowy jellyfish things floating around the base lately?"

"N-No."

"Then Daniel might as well be dead, because he's not with his wife."

"I thought she might like to have some fun."

"With you? You are _nuts_! What did you think? That you'd catch her on the rebound?" Jack slammed the terrified man against the wall, barely controlling his ire. "If I ever hear that you have come within ten feet of her, I'll send you to BP6-3Q1. Do you remember BP6-3Q1?"

"That was were the bug stung Teal'c and he started to turn into more bugs."

"That's right, Bug Boy. Just remember that. Now get out of here." Jack released his lab coat with a shove.

Jack watched Felger scurry down the hall for a second before taking a calming breath and entering Carter's lab. The room was dark, the blinking lights of the equipment lining the walls providing the only illumination. He gazed around the room trying to find Carter but he didn't see her. "Carter?"

"She's not here," he heard her ragged voice respond with a sniffle.

He found her sitting curled into the corner behind her work table. "Who are you then?"

"I don't know any more."

Jack slid down the wall to sit next to her, so close that their shoulders touched. Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out an almond and toffee Godiva chocolate bar. "A little pick me up?"

Sam sniffed holding back tears and took the candy bar. "Too bad chocolate can't really solve anything."

"If it did, we'd all be really fat."

She gave a small laugh before breaking off a piece of chocolate and offering it to him. Jack gladly accepted it and waited for her to finish her bar before speaking again. "So did you get him?"

"Who?"

"Felger," Jack pointed to the shattered mug and puddle of coffee.

"No," she shook her head. "I missed. Scared him though."

"Yeah, I heard your scream. You scared me." Jack smirked slightly, "I don't think he'll be bothering you anymore by the way."

"You didn't hit him, did you?"

"No, I threatened to send him BP6-3Q1."

"The 'big honkin' bug' planet?"

"Yeah." He gently nudged her shoulder with his, "So, what's going on with you? It's not just Felger is it?"

"No," she let her head fall on his shoulder. "I thought I was okay. I thought I could deal with him being gone. It's not like he's really dead, is it?"

"No, but he still left you, Carter. It's okay to feel hurt by that."

"But that's just it, Jack. He left a long time ago. You know he did. He hadn't been himself for so long. I miss how he used to be. I'm pissed that he changed and made me start to hate him. I could always rely on Daniel. And, God, it just makes me so mad that he left Grace and me. But I miss my friend Daniel more than my husband. That sounds so horrible. I shouldn't have-" she cut herself off as she buried her face in his shirt and started sobbing in earnest. Jack reached an arm around her shoulders and just held her close to him. Finally she quieted and lifted her head a little. "Jack, take me out. I want to get drunk. Really drunk. Get me drunk, Jack."

"No."

"No?" she looked up at him, anger coloring her voice.

"No. We're going to get Grace. Then I'm going to take you home and you're going to pack. We're going to go fishing."

"Fishing? In Minnesota?"

"Where else?"

"Okay," she sighed, feeling suddenly drained, and let her head drop back against him.

* * *

Gracie wanted to grow up to be just like her Uncle Jack and that thought terrified Sam as much as it amused her. Currently she was amused as she watched Gracie follow Jack around on his pre-flight inspection of the plane. Gracie wore a miniature replica of Jack's brown leather bomber jacket and child-sized aviator sunglasses that she insisted on wearing when she flew because of course she wanted to be just like Uncle Jack. It did look a little incongruous with her beribboned pigtails and lavender dress though. She trailed Jack step for step as he circled the plane and explained what he was doing. They could have taken off a while ago but Jack patiently explained things and answered her sometimes unusually perceptive and sometimes childishly innocent questions. Patience was generally not something one associated with Jack O'Neill but he seemed to have an endless supply where Gracie was concerned.

When the inspection was complete Jack with Gracie clutching his hand sauntered over to Sam and told her, "We're good to go."

Sam nodded and followed them back to Jack's Cessna. "Mommy, you have to ride in the back. I'm the co-pilot."

"Okay," Sam smiled indulgently at her daughter. "Then, it's up to you to make sure Uncle Jack knows what he's doing and doesn't crash or get us lost."

Jack rolled his eyes but refrained from commenting as he lifted Gracie up and buckled her in the seat.

* * *

Sam slept almost the entire way to Minnesota. She hadn't been sleeping well since Daniel left. Being an Air Force brat and spending most of her adult life in the Air Force, she always felt at ease and relaxed on planes and whirr of the propellers lulled her to sleep. She awoke as the plane gently touched down on the small air strip.

A beat up old jeep drove out to meet them. Before it even stopped two young men jumped out and rushed over to help take their luggage and tie down the plane. Jack helped Sam and Gracie out and led them over to the grizzled man leaning against the jeep. "Well, well, look at General Jack. Quite the sight in the company of two beautiful women."

"Hi, Joe," Gracie said skipping up to the man.

"Gracie, my girl," Joe said as she launched herself into his arms. "Good to see you again. Whose this with you?"

"Mommy! She's coming fishing."

"Well, how about that." Joe set Gracie down and turned to Sam. "I'm Joe Jensen."

"Joe, this is Doctor Samantha Carter-Jackson," Jack introduced her. Sam smiled and shook Joe's hand

"Doctor Carter-Jackson, it's great to finally meet Gracie's mom. She's a wonderful kid and going to be an even better pilot. Right, Grace?"

"Yeah sure, you betcha," Gracie giggled in her best Minnesotan accent.

"Thanks. It's nice to meet you," Sam smiled at Joe. "And just call me Sam."

"Okay, Sam," he grinned back. "What brings you up to the middle of nowhere with this reprobate?" Joe nodded in Jack's direction.

Sam's smile fell, "Uh, my… um-" She broke off and looked to Jack, tears suddenly welling in her eyes.

Jack placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and she unconsciously leaned back into him. "Her husband died a couple of weeks ago. She and Gracie could use some time away from things."

"Oh, God. I'm so sorry to hear that. I really am," Joe said sincerely and grasped her hand warmly. "You've certainly come to the right place to get away though. Let me know if there's anything I can do for you. And if you get bored by fishing without any actual fish."

"Hey!" Jack protested and Sam's smile reappeared.

* * *

It was early afternoon when they arrived at the cabin. She had slept all the way from the airstrip to the cabin and Jack insisted she take a nap while he got the place organized. He knew that she hadn't really been sleeping lately. Gracie had been exhausted from the excitement of the trip and took a nap with her mother.

When Sam woke up it was light outside and Gracie was no longer beside her. She turned over and glanced at the clock on the nightstand. 10:12? She didn't know when the last time she'd slept this late, especially when she had fallen asleep yesterday afternoon. She vaguely wondered if Jack had slipped her a sedative. She wouldn't put it past him.

After her shower, Sam wandered into the living and kitchen area. Jack and Grace were nowhere to be seen. She supposed they were already out fishing. In the kitchen she found a note in Jack's writing stuck to the coffee maker. "Muffins in the oven. We're in the workshop."

'_Workshop?' _she wondered, but give it much thought after she opened the oven and found a stack of huge blueberry muffins.

After coffee and several more of the tasty muffins than she would normally eat she went outside in search of the mysterious 'workshop'. She saw a small building of similar construction of the cabin. The door was open and the soft strains of classical music drifted out of the open door. She stood in the doorway for a long moment completely shocked and fascinated by the scene before here.

Jack was sitting at a work bench, a clay pot before him. He was using a small delicate tool to a carve an intricate geometric filigree in the lip of the pot. He was so intent on his delicate work that he didn't even notice her. That was so unlike him. Most of his life spent on battlefields made him above all alert.

Her eyes skittered over to her daughter sitting across from Jack. Gracie was busily rolling clay between her hands making long strings of clay. The was slightly warped beginnings of a coil pot before her.

Sam's gaze couldn't help but be drawn back to Jack. He had on loose khakis and a denim work shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His hands and clothes were splattered with clay. There was something strange about him that she couldn't quite place until he lifted his head slightly to glance at Gracie who quietly intent on her on little pot. The movement of his head caused the light glint off his glasses. Jack was wearing glasses. The were small squarish silver wire rimmed frames and while they looked alien on his face they seemed to suit him. This man seemed to be a stranger, but it was undoubtedly Jack. She couldn't help but stare at him. The sure movements of his hands expertly carving the clay had he entranced. She had always like his hands.

The music stopped and Sam felt for sure Jack would notice her when he got up to change the cd, but he didn't.

Gracie looked up at him, "Can we listen to Kermit now, Uncle Jack?"

"Must we?"

"I wanna listen to Kermit."

"Okay, sweetheart," Jack sighed before inserting the cd. The overly familiar melody of 'It's Not Easy Being Green' began as Jack took his seat again. He picked up his loop tool and bent back over his pot. "You gonna stand there all day, Carter?" Okay, so he was wasn't as oblivious as she thought.

"Mommy!" Gracie grinned at her. "Look at my pot!"

Sam stepped over to Grace's side of the table, "It's very pretty, Gracie."

Grace smiled happily, "Uncle Jack taught me."

Sam caught Jack's eye, "Yes, well, it looks like Uncle Jack is full of surprises." He smirked slightly at her. "When did you become a master potter, Jack?"

"Oh, I've been at this for years."

"I never knew."

"You never came up here before."

"So all that talk of fishing is actually a front?"

"No, I fish. I just do this too."

Sam moved around the workshop and studied the shelves of ceramics, some drying, some fired but awaiting a glaze, and many more completed. "These are very impressive. I don't understand why you didn't tell us." She traced her finger along the Earth point of origin symbols carved along the rim of a cobalt blue vase.

"Oh, come on, Carter. You know I would have never heard the end of from Daniel. He would have wanted to analyze the crap out of everything, question me about symbolism, and just basically suck the fun out of it."

A sudden flicker of sadness and grief flickered across her face and her hand dropped at the mention of Daniel.

Jack looked apologetic, "I'm sorry."

"No, you're right," she smiled a little sadly. "Daniel would have had a field day. You do realize you're incorporating classified information into your work?"

Jack shrugged, "It's just a design unless you know better."

"So how long have you been doing this?"

"Since that whole time loop thing. I was going wacko from boredom for a while."

"So you took up pottery?"

"Among other things," a small mysterious smile played at his lips. "I had a lot of time on my hands."

She shook her head at his pun and decided to change the subject. "You're wearing glasses."

Jack looked slightly embarrassed. "I'm getting old, Carter. Besides they're just for reading. All that paper work has finally ruined my eyes."

"I haven't seen them before. Are you vain, Jack?" she teased.

"Actually, I just got them a couple of days ago."

"Oh. Why don't you get that laser thing done instead?"

"I don't really like the idea of someone pointing a laser into my eye. It was bad enough with Doc Frasier and her pen light."

* * *

Sam was hopeless at ceramics, much to Jack's utter and total delight. It wasn't often that anyone was better at anything than Sam Carter. Sam did have to admit that Jack was extremely patient with her and tried really hard to teach her. In between his spells of laughter that is. Even if she couldn't throw a pot to save her life and her six year old daughter's coil pot looked ten times better than hers, she had one of best days she could remember. She had fun with Jack and Gracie. She had gotten absolutely filthy, but she had fun.

She couldn't quite get over the discover over Jack's artistic talent. Suddenly a good deal of his doodles over the years made sense. He had been working out designs and patterns during all those boring briefings. After she had given up on producing at least one decent looking pot, she just sat and watched Jack and she began to think of things she had tried not to think about for a very long time.

To be concluded


	16. Part 16

**Mysterious Distance**

**Part 16**

After they had put Gracie to bed, Jack and Sam sat in the living in comfortable silence. Jack was sitting in his recliner by the fire reading an old Nero Wolfe novel. Sam still couldn't get over him wearing glasses and kept glancing over at him as perused the paperwork she'd received from Daniel's attorney after his 'death'. She had been avoiding going through it but she had stuffed it into her bag before she'd left figuring she might get bored with fishing. She had worked her way through his will, everything of course went to her and Gracie, when she found a sealed envelope with her name on it. She opened it and found a note from Daniel. It was dated a couple of months after Grace's birth.

_Sam,_

_If you're reading this, I'm probably dead. You know why I say probably. Let me start of by saying I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm a coward. I'm sorry I didn't have the guts to point this out to you on my own. Though by now you may already have figured it out, but I doubt it. You're good at being oblivious when you want to be. I'm sorry for helping you take the easy way out. I'm sorry for doing this to Jack. I'm sorry for taking you and Grace away from him. I guess ultimately I am a selfish bastard who was searching for some small semblance of happiness, but I do love you both very much. Not the way Jack loves you, but still I do love you. I'm sorry, Sam. I hope one day you, Jack, and Gracie will forgive me._

_Love,_

_Daniel_

There was a second sheet of paper behind the note, Sam, still stunned, tried to read it. It didn't make sense the first time she read it, so she read it again and again and again. It still didn't make sense. The sentences didn't make sense. Her eyes kept lighting on several words and phrases that in no way should go together, like 'Grace Catherine Jackson', 'paternity', 'Jonathan J. O'Neill', and '99.9 certainty'.

"Carter, you okay?"

Sam looked up at Jack who had pulled of his reading glasses and set his book aside. He looked concerned, but she didn't know how to answer him. She wasn't okay. Everything she had thought to be a fact in her life for the last six years was not. Her life had been false. Everything in Jack's life had been false. He wasn't 'Uncle Jack'. He was 'Daddy' and 'Daddy' was really 'Uncle Daniel'.

She realized Jack was now crouching before her his hands resting lightly on her knees. "Carter…Sam, what is it?"

She folded the papers quickly trying to fight the urge to push him out the way and throw Daniel's note and the test results in the fire. Jack had been wonderful to her these past weeks. In fact, he had been wonderful to her these past few years, never letting on that he was angry or resentful over her marriage to Daniel. She knew she had hurt him then. She was afraid to lose what she had from him now. Her father was running around with the Tok'ra. Teal'c was with his family and leading the Jaffa. Daniel was out glowing on some other plane of existence. Jack was all she really had left. He would hate her for this. She deserved to be hated for what she'd done to him.

She handed him the papers and closed her eyes against what she would surely see in his own eyes.

"Oh."

He didn't sound surprised. Her eyes snapped open. He didn't look surprised either. "You knew?"

"Yeah."

"Daniel told you?"

"No," he replied calmly. "I didn't even know he knew for sure."

"Then how?"

"She was born with O'Neill eyes. Brown eyes at birth run in my family."

"And you never said anything?" she felt irrationally angry.

"What would I have said?" he asked in disbelief. "'Sorry to screw up your happy little family, but guess what? The kid's mine.' No, I'm not that much of a bastard." He looked tired and sad. He'd been living with this a long time. "You're not stupid, Carter. You could have seen it if you wanted to. No one should have had to tell you."

"So what now?" she asked. It was a question she was afraid to ask and one that she needed desperately to know the answer to.

Jack stood and smiled bitterly. "Uncle Jack will always be there for Gracie…and her mother."

Sam watched him cross the living room and disappear into his room.

* * *

Sam lay in bed fitfully. She couldn't quite seem to wrap her mind around the idea that Jack O'Neill was the father of her daughter. And he was right; she must be completely stupid not to have seen it before. Gracie was very much like Jack and not only because of the way she imitated and idolized him. Her hands were constantly fiddling or moving. Her hair was nearly the same color as Jack's when she first met him, though the curl she inherited from her mother's side. And above all the same dark soulful brown eyes. They were not Jacob's eyes. She should have known by the eyes. She had always loved his eyes. And his hands. She had always like to watch his hands whether cleaning his weapon, gesturing madly, doodling, making those origami animals, throwing pots…

Today, for the first time in a very long time, she had had allowed herself to think of Jack as a man and not her daughter's safe, reliable 'Uncle Jack'. She realized that she still very much wanted that man and she was surprised to find how much she still loved that man. Even though he was the same man she had run away from for too many years. She was tired of running. It seemed that all her running had only brought her back to the same place- Jack O'Neill.

She crawled out of bed. She checked first on Gracie. Her daughter was still sleeping peacefully clinging to her Jaffa teddy. Sam stopped in front of Jack's door and took a deep breath before quietly opening it to find the room empty. She searched the rest of the cabin but he wasn't there. She stepped out on the back deck expecting to see him studying the stars with his telescope, but he wasn't doing that either.

The breeze carried a swell of strings and the melancholy voice of a man she had learned to identify as Caruso. She walked around the cabin to see the light shining through the windows and open door of Jack's studio. She stood just outside, building up the courage that had fled now that she was here.

THWAP

THWAP

THWAP

Curiosity got the better of her at the sound. She looked through the door to see Jack's back to her working over a low canvas covered table with a half empty bottle of Jack Daniel's and a stoneware mug resting on it.

THWAP

The mug bounced but didn't spill.

THWAP

**_THWAP_**

Jack tossed the huge ball of clay in his hand down extra hard and it flattened. He pounded on it with his fists. Then he wiped his clay-covered hands on his black t-shirt before taking a drink out of his mug.

Caruso's voice trailed off and Sam held her breath afraid he would hear her. She heard the CD player shift to a new CD and Bob Dylan's gravely voice began.

"'_There must be some way out of here,' said the joker to the thief."_

"Are you just going to stand there and stare at me all night, Carter?" Jack asked, not even bothering to turn around. He set his drink down and began pulling the clay up off the canvas, forming in into a rough sphere.

Sam stepped over the threshold and over to him.

THWAP

She winced at the loud sound as it momentarily overpowering Dylan.

THWAP

"What are you doing?" That wasn't the question she wanted to ask, but it was the only one she felt confident enough to ask.

"Making sure there are no air bubbles. Air bubbles in the clay can cause it to explode when it's fired," he explained tonelessly.

THWAP

"Oh, so you're not pretending that that's my head?"

"I would never hurt you." He turned to her then and she was taken aback by the anguish she saw in his eyes. "Is that it? Is that how you've seen me all these years, why you ran away, because you thought I was a man like that? I do have blood on my hands. Bucketfuls. But I would never hurt you," he repeated. "I'm not Jonas Hanson."

"I know," she said quietly, unable meet his eyes any longer. She had meant that comment as a joke. She didn't know what to say now. She had never seen him so openly pained. She did know how to deal with a hurt Jack O'Neill. A man that had been hurt by her.

"'_So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.'"_

'Good point, Bob,' she thought.

THWAP

"Jack…"

THWAP

"Jack, I'm sorry."

THWAP

"Jack," she touched her shoulder and he cringed away from her.

"Don't," he grunted.

THWAP

"Jack, please listen to me."

**_THWAP _**

Jack turned to her angrily, "Why should I? How many times over the years was I willing to listen? Willing to talk? Willing to do anything you wanted me to do? How many times did you shut me out?"

"Damn it, Jack! You've done the same thing to me!" She shot back suddenly angered by his accusations, even if they were true.

"When?"

"When I went to see you after the second Ancient download and when we were on the ship after that. "

"Oh, for cryin' out load, Carter! I was dying. My mind was swimming with all kinds of crazy shit. I'm lucky I could form a coherent sentence. Besides you were with that idiot Pete. It wasn't my place to say anything."

"I would have given him up for you. It's you I really wanted anyway."

"You had a hell of a way of showing it! You got engaged," he bitterly pointed out.

"I wouldn't have if you had said something."

"Why would I have? You shut me out. A guy gets a little tired of that after a while."

He was right. She knew it. Denying it would do no good. "I'm sorry, Jack. I'm so sorry."

"Why? Why are you sorry? Because you're alone now? Because you don't have Daniel to cuddle up to at night?"

"How can you say that?"

"Easily. You were fucking my best friend for years and turned up married to him the day Hammond had my resignation letter on his desk. That's how!"

"You resigned?" she gasped in disbelief.

"I sent the letter to Hammond the day after you ran off to San Diego."

"I didn't know."

"You were too busy running away," he turned his back to her and picked up his ball of clay again.

THWAP

"I thought you would hate me," she said softly, almost afraid to give the thought voice, as if that would make it true. "For being so weak and behaving like cheap whore."

"If I was going to hate you, I would have left you in that bar the moment I saw you making out with that brute," he responded, his voice gruff. "Besides it's not like I haven't had nights like that myself. It just hurt me to see you like that. I loved you, Sam."

"Do you still?" She had to know.

"Don't ask me that." He leaned over the table his arms braced stiffly, his head bowed, and his back tense. "Please don't. I told you I would always be here for you and Grace, but… just don't. Leave it alone."

"I can't."

"Why? You've done well enough of that all these years."

'_Why wait any longer for the world to begin  
You can have your cake and eat it too_'

In the silence between them she realized Bob had a point. "Because I still love you."

"And the Oscar goes to Samantha Carter-Jackson. Bravo."

"Don't be an ass, Jack."

Jack turned around and leaned against the table, his arms crossed over his chest and a mocking smile. "I'm sorry. Just when did you reach this startling conclusion?"

'_Why wait any longer for the one you love  
When he's standing in front of you'_

Bob was mockingher. She reached out and slapped Jack.

"That was cliché," Jack rubbed his cheek but the mocking smirk was still on his face. "Why should I believe you? You're good at lying to yourself. How hard could it be to lie to me?"

That was it. That was all she could take. She hated herself for the tears falling from her eyes, but she couldn't stop them. She hated being weak. "You're right and you know what? You shouldn't have to deal with me anymore. I've caused you enough pain. I'll go. I'll leave the SGC. You won't have to have anything to do with me."

"Carter-" She saw the panic in his and knew why it was there.

"No, Jack," she hook her head and began backing away. "I won't take her away from you. I'll give you custody of Grace. It looks like I haven't been much of mother anyway," she gave a little hysterical laugh. "I couldn't take your daughter away from you. I couldn't do that. I already did it once. She'll be happier with you anyway, Jack. She loves you so much. And I-" Sam had been moving steadily away from him and she found herself backed up against his work table. She swiped at her eyes and turned to run out the workshop, but found him blocking her path of escape. "Don't make this harder, Jack. You can tell her I died or whatever… I'll leave. You won't have to see me again. I know you'll take care of her."

"Sam…"

She found herself engulfed his arms, crushed tightly against his chest with his face hidden in the juncture of her neck and shoulder. She cried harder. She had missed his arms around her, though their embraces had been few and far between. They made her feel strong, like she was capable of doing anything with him at her side. This was the last time. She was giving up everything she held dear to him in the hope that it would go some small way to repairing the wounds to his soul she had inflicted. She couldn't imagine living without her daughter, but she had to do it for him.

Jack lifted his head and she felt her warm breath on her ear as he spoke gruffly into it, "You are not doing that. Do you hear me? You're not giving up your daughter. She needs you."

"I want you to be happy, Jack," she moaned into his chest. "I'll do anything."

"It's not your fault, Carter. We've both done some stupid stuff to each other. It's not all your fault. I'm sorry. You're right. I was an ass. I've been an ass for a very long time. I don't want you to go away."

"What do you want?"

Jack took a deep shuddering breath, "I want both you and Gracie with me always."

"I want that, too."

"But God help me, Sam. I don't know if I could stand losing you again."

"You won't, Jack. I swear. I love you. I'm sorry."

Jack pulled away from her and lifted his hands to gently wipe away the tears from her eyes. "No more tears. Not for us. We're going to be happy from now. If I have to move heaven and earth, we're going to be happy. It's our time."

He pulled her too him again and wrapped his arms around her tightly, pressing his lips to her neck. "I still love you, too, Carter."

For the first time in a very long time for them both everything seemed right in the universe.

THE END

A/N- I'm still not satisfied with the ending, but then again I never am. But it's done. FINALLY.


	17. Epilogue

**Mysterious Distance**

**Epilogue**

* * *

I wasn't satisfied with the ending of this story. So after marinating on it for a while I've finally come up with an epilogue. Hope you like it.

* * *

This had to be one of the oddest graduation parties ever seen on Earth. Even in the years after the Stargate had become public knowledge. Milling together on the back lawn of the O'Neill household were Asgard, Jaffa, Tok'ra, Tauri, various humans from planets around the galaxy, and even several Ascended beings, though they hadn't made themselves known. Daniel had never thought in all his years of fighting a seemingly unending war that all these different people could come together for something as trivial (on an cosmic scale that is) as a party on a beautiful spring afternoon. Seeing such frivolity made him yearn for his former descended state.

"If you had stayed, we would not be here now."

Daniel turned to the woman standing next to him and smiled not for the first time since arriving. The great and powerful Oma Desala had apparently decided that a bright flowered sundress and wide straw hat was appropriate garb for a back yard barbeque, ascended being or not. "I know."

His gaze wandered over the crowd and his eye caught by a white head higher than most of the crowd. Jack O'Neill, whether through his Ancient gene, repeated exposure to sarcophagi, or some other unknown cause seemed not to have aged much past fifty even though he was staring seventy in the face. Sure his hair was white now, but he still had as thick and as unruly as ever. The dark sunglasses covering his eyes were now prescription, but he was still as fit and active as he had been when Daniel had ascended 15 years ago. Daniel was glad Jack O'Neill was one of things never seemed to change.

"O'Neill has changed, Daniel," Skaara said from his other side. Daniel glanced at him. Skaara as opposed to Oma ha decided his Abydosian robes were fine for a party he wasn't going to be seen at anyway.

Daniel turned his attention back to his old friend. Skaara was right.. Jack had changed. Jack was happy. His smile and laughter came readily, something almost unheard of in all the years Daniel had considered Jack his best friend. Perhaps that's why Jack seemed not to age. These part 15 years of happiness had taken years off of him. Jack's face lit up even brighter at the sight of the woman bringing him another beer. Jack took the beer and gave her a quick kiss of gratitude, sliding an arm around her waist before turning his attention back to Jacob and Thor.

Sam was older, but still beautiful. She smiled brilliantly at her husband, that smile no one ever seemed to receive except Jack. Daniel had expected to feel a stab of jealousy or pain at seeing his former wife and his best friend so happy together, but he didn't. This is the way it should have always been. They hadn't had an easy time in the beginning, but they had managed to move past all the pain and hurt that had festered over the years. Daniel was glad that they had overcome it and for the most part lived happily ever after. He still felt ashamed of his part in keeping them separated.

Jack's smile grew even bigger as he caught sight of a tall young woman in Air Force blues and shiny new Second Lieutenant's bars on her shoulders. Lieutenant Grace O'Neill slid under the father's other arm and swiped his beer. Daniel supposed he should have been hurt that Grace hadn't retained 'Jackson' as her surname, but there was no denying she was an O'Neill through and through with a good dose of Carter thrown in. A dangerous combination.

For a moment Jack's gaze, seemed to be fixed on Daniel, but he knew here was no way Jack could have seen him. Jack whispered something in Sam and Gracie's ears before releasing them and making his excuses to Thor and Jacob. Jack wandered across the yard to the deck of his house. His two Irish setters caught sight of him and broke way from their game of chase with Cassie's three kids to follow their master. Jack with Marge and Homer at his heels made his way up the deck stairs and into the house without casting a glance in the Ascended beings direction. Daniel walked through the wall of the house and found Jack in his kitchen with another beer in his hand and feeding treats to his dogs.

Daniel didn't make himself known and finally Jack spoke, "You can quit hiding, Daniel."

Daniel appeared and the dogs started growling at him. Jack gave them each a pat and they stopped. "Hey, Jack."

"Daniel." His expression was closed off, guarded just the way Daniel was used to.

"How did you know I was here?"

Jack just shrugged. "What brings you to our lowly plane?"

"What do you think?"

"Guess the glowy people aren't known for their parties, huh?"

"I just wanted to see Gracie graduate. I hope you don't mind."

"No," Jack's expression softened and he smiled at his old friend. "I'm glad you're here. We've missed you Daniel."

The back door opened and a voice called out, "Daddy?"

"In the kitchen, Gracie. We've got a visitor."

Gracie appeared in the doorway and smiled. "Uncle Daniel, you came."

"You know, I wouldn't miss this for anything," Daniel smiled back. "Oma and Skaara are here too. I'm proud of you, Gracie. We're all proud of you. Though I gotta say some of the Other's are a little nervous at the thought of another O'Neill being unleashed on the universe. An O'Neill with Carter brains."

Gracie shared a mischievous grin with her father.

"Well, somebody's got to keep things from getting too boring out there," Jack told him.

"That's what they're afraid of."

"So… You guys should join the party," Jack said. "It's not like their aren't stranger folks wandering around out there."

"I don't think-"

"Thank you, General O'Neill. We will." Oma and Skaara materialized next to Daniel. "We should celebrate Grace's accomplishments."

"O'Neill, it is good to see you," Skaara said.

"You too, Skaara. I don't suppose I could interest you in a beer?"

"Unfortunately not, O'Neill."

"Guess there are some drawbacks to the whole higher plane thing, huh?" Jack smiled, "Back to the party?"

Grace slid her hand into her father's and they lead the three Ascended beings and Marge and Homer back outside.

The End.

Really.


End file.
